Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev stated that in 2008, Western countries used Georgia as a tool to pressure Russia, and after the armed conflict ended, they learned from their mistakes.

Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum, Medvedev said that after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the West, in his opinion, acted against Russia through "puppet regimes." Among these states, he mentioned Georgia, which, according to the Russian politician, launched military action against Abkhazia and South Ossetia in August 2008.

Speaking about Western countries' reactions to the events of those years, Medvedev noted that the US and European countries did not directly intervene in the conflict at the time. According to him, this allowed the parties to avoid further escalation. However, the Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council stated that the West subsequently reconsidered its approach.

"It must be acknowledged that Europe and the United States wisely avoided engaging in conflict back then, and we agreed to what's called a bad peace. But, unfortunately, on the other hand, they didn't quench their thirst for blood, and they took into account their shortcomings," Medvedev concluded.