White House Calls On Russia To Withdraw From Georgia, Fulfill Obligations

Washington D.C./17.08.23/Turan:  The White House on Wednesday called on Russia to fulfill its 2008 obligations to a ceasefire with Georgia and to withdraw its forces to pre-conflict positions "to allow unfettered access and delivery of humanitarian needs," as National Security Council's John Kirby put it, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

"We still believe that South Ossetia and Abkhazia, that’s Georgian territory despite the fact that Russian forces are occupying it," Kirby told TURAN's correspondent during a briefing organized by the State Department's Washington foreign press center.

"We fully support Georgia’s independence, their sovereignty, territorial integrity – nothing’s changed there – within internationally recognized borders," he added when asked by TURAN if the Biden administration had changed its approach to the conflict in the South Caucasus after 15 years of Russian occupation.

TURAN also asked Kirby about the White House's current position on sending long-range missiles to Ukraine. "I don’t have any updates on ATACMS for you. The President said they’re in play, they’re in play," he said.

President Biden earlier in end of May left door open for Ukraine to receive long-range missile systems, telling TURAN's Washington correspondent that sending ATACMS to Ukraine was "in play".

Kirby added that "no decisions that are pending on ATACMS at this point. We’re focused on making sure that Ukraine has what it needs in the counteroffensive. And I can assure you that in the talks between our two militaries, everything they asked for this counteroffensive, they got, and they’re still getting, and we’re going to continue to have that conversation with them. We have not been afraid to evolve the security assistance as the situation on the ground has evolved.  But I don’t have any updates for you on that"

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said last week that he requested long-range missiles from the U.S. during a phone call with Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

"I thanked the U.S. for all the assistance provided and stressed the need to enhance Ukraine's long-range capabilities by providing ATACMS," Kuleba announced on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Alex Raufoglu