Responding to journalists' questions about the country's possible participation in operations to stabilize the situation in the Gaza Strip, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev noted that a clear understanding of the type of operation and the potential mandate is essential for making a decision.
Speaker of the Georgian Parliament Shalva Papuashvili, in his response to the events in Venezuela, noted that Tbilisi's two main objectives remain unchanged: restoring Georgia's territorial integrity and ensuring the well-being of its people.
He added that political illusions and sentimentality are inappropriate in the struggle for territorial integrity. According to him, a state and government that does not recognize Georgia's territorial integrity can never be friends of the Georgian people—"this is the fundamental truth."
Papuashvili also emphasized the role of international law as the primary weapon and shield for small states like Georgia, lamenting its "irreversibly diminishing influence." The politician emphasized that the operation in Venezuela, which lasted a few minutes, confirmed that the European Union, as a guarantor of international order and a global geopolitical player, "no longer exists and, in all likelihood, will never again." "Furthermore, it has become clear that Brussels, when it suits its purposes, is not afraid to profit from the destruction of the world order and use it for its own ends. Brussels' actions against Georgia, which violate international law, are clear evidence of this.
The international storm that erupted in the first days of January and, apparently, is only gaining momentum, has further strengthened our plan for 2026—to remain committed to a policy of peace and not to participate in other people's scenarios.
We are backed by a people who desire peace and prosperity in an independent and united Georgia. Every word and action of these rootless, crooked Georgians, who worship others, only confirms that achieving this goal is possible only for the Georgian Dream, and no one and nothing can deviate us from this path," Papuashvili concluded.
As a reminder, the Georgian Foreign Ministry, commenting on the latest events in Venezuela, expressed hope that they will lead to the country's authorities rescinding their recognition of Georgia's occupied regions. The agency noted that it is closely monitoring developments and hopes for "future developments in accordance with the interests of the Venezuelan people."
On September 10, 2009, then-Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez announced his recognition of the independence of the self-proclaimed republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
On January 3, 2026, the United States conducted a military operation in Venezuela and evacuated President Nicolás Maduro to the United States.