I met the members of the Rada of Ukraine, Ivana Klimpush-Tsintsadze, and Maria Ionova in Washington, DC, during their official visit. The conversation with them turned out to be exactly what I expected before the meeting - brave, strong, and dignified representatives of the Ukrainian people, who continue to remind the whole world once again why the fate of the future of the civilized world depends on the physical and psychological strength of Ukrainians. Every time I meet Ukrainians, an exceptionally warm and emotional atmosphere is created. As Ivana Klimpush-Tsintsadze mentioned in the interview, our nations are connected by irrational love. At the meeting with these two brave women politicians, this attitude was even more evident.

- First of all, thank you for the opportunity to meet with you. Let's begin our discussion with the latest developments in Ukraine. How would you describe the current mood among the people, as well as the situation on the front line of the battle? 

Maria Ionova: We are looking forward to receiving F-16s in Ukraine, as well as more active training and, of course, more defense opportunities. The Ukrainian people are courageous, despite the fact that the war has been going on for three years now, and even before the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, we were already engaged in active combat since 2014. Of course, the 7-month wait for receiving the weapons had a corresponding effect on the dynamics on the battlefield, and the situation is constantly changing. We are sure that the F-16s, as well as drones and various technological support, will change a lot of things. Many people ask us, are we tired? Of course, but the people and our brave and intelligent armed forces are ready to fight to victory. It should be noted that support in civil society has not decreased either; volunteers join the professional fighters every day. As for friends, we would like to see a clearer strategy from them. 

Ivana Klimpush-Tsintsadze: The reality that there is still a war in the heart of Europe, and we live in conditions of unprecedented Russian aggression, should not lose its relevance in the societies of different countries. This fact should not fade from the minds of politicians. The terrorist state - Russia, is not only using military capabilities to destroy us. Yes, they want us to disappear from the world map, and to achieve this goal, they are doing everything: destroying civilian infrastructure, our energy resources, forcibly abducting Ukrainian children, killing civilians, and trying to wipe out generations. In the Kremlin, they believe that with such cruelty, they will achieve the depopulation of Ukraine and the massive outflow of people from the country, which they call "denazification". Their goal is to create medieval conditions for civilians, to have no electricity, to make the economy unable to function, to stop production, and to halt the functioning of the state... Along with physical war, this is an additional difficult challenge for us. However, they miscalculate once again, because we fully understand that we are in a stage of self-preservation. This is an existential reality for us, and we understand that if we give up, we will automatically cease to exist. That is why we are in Washington now - we want to warn our friends, that before Russia invades other countries, they should help us defeat them on the territory of Ukraine. Yes, of course, the three-year war has left the citizens emotionally drained, but that doesn't mean any of them are ready to give up. The Ukrainian nation will never agree to capitulation; we are absolutely ready to continue fighting to protect our country. And for success, the help of our friends is extremely important - along with military support, it is necessary to impose more effective sanctions on Russia. We must remember that until 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014; we have been living in this difficult marathon for 8 years. So the world must draw conclusions. The policy of managing escalation and appeasing Russia is not a winning strategy.

- The whole world, and especially countries like Georgia, those of us who have experienced what it means to live under the conditions of Russia's aggressive policy, understand exactly that Ukrainians today are fighting not only for the future of their country but also for the future of the civilized world. Do you think some partner countries may still be unsure about their views and positions?

Ivana Klimpush-Tsintsadze: I think the West has undergone significant changes in its perception of processes. For example, even when Russia invaded the heart of Europe in 2022, some European states said that it would not be part of their policy to directly supply arms to a non-NATO country. Now, for example, Sweden and Germany are among the biggest suppliers of arms to Ukraine. There is a growing feeling that today Russia threatens their national security as well, although of course, I would like a much more proactive policy in support of Ukraine. Wars are won by military power, and this is the only language that the Russian Federation understands. Mr. Putin does not recognize any international document, law, world order... Putin is a war criminal, a criminal who will be brought to justice sooner or later. He should be given an adequate answer. 

Maria Ionova: Look at what is happening in the world today. Wherever there is war, terror, and violence, there is a trace of Russia. Iran, North Korea, Hamas are open allies of Russia. Until Putin is defeated, there will be no peace in the world.

Hungary's Prime Minister, Mr. Orban, has proposed some initatives under the banner of peace talks and claimed to have met with leaders of various countries for this cause. How do Ukrainians themselves look at this process led by him?

Ivana Klimpush-Tsintsadze: I think that he, as the leader of the country holding the presidency of the European Union, uses his status to strengthen personal PR and ties, including with Russia and China... He does not have any substantial proposals; it all looks like an attempt to attract attention from his side. Let's remind you that from 2014 to 2022, we signed a cease-fire agreement with Russia 37 times. Such a game with the issue of Ukraine will not suit anyone.

Maria Ionova: Help our armed forces; they are the best negotiators and they will decide the fate of this war.

Authoritarian countries, and unfortunately, the government of Georgia is one of them right now, propagate the narrative that if the Republican party candidate wins the US presidential elections, the White House will abandon Ukraine. You are meeting with the highest officials in Washington, including the leaders of the Republican Party. Do you sense a possibility of this scenario unfolding?

Ivana Klimpush-Tsintsadze: We believe in the Reagan Republican Party, and we know that Reagan's values and ideology are still alive and worshipped by the members of the party and its leadership. This is how we perceive the Republican Party. Of course, it is clear to us that some politicians have their own visions for managing domestic or foreign policy. That is why we are in active communication with them to constantly show and share the latest news from Ukraine. If presidential candidate Donald Trump returns to the White House and reviews all the information, including secret documents, I am sure he will never abandon Ukraine. We have a strong experience of working with him, and it was from him that we received the first very important military equipment. So I'm confident that any White House administration will not only continue to support Ukraine but also increase its efforts. For us, bipartisan support is absolutely critical because a common goal cannot be achieved with just one segment of the American public.

Maria Ivanova: We thank American society, which is exceptionally sensitive to us. Here, I recall the words of President Reagan: "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free". 

- After delivering this strong message, I would like to ask you about Georgia. Unfortunately, today the Georgian government does not fully represent the European aspirations of the Georgian people or the strong historical support our nation has for you. It pains me to say this as a citizen of Georgia. How do you view statements, suggesting that Ukrainian high-ranking officials were calling for the opening of a second front in Georgia?

Ivana Klimpush-Tsintsadze: My husband is Georgian, and I have been in love with Georgia for many years. For me, it is important not only as a politician but also personally how Georgia responds to the situation in Ukraine. I openly told my colleagues in the Parliament of Georgia that your future depends on what is happening today on Ukrainian territory. You may have your own flag, like Belarus, and have a Georgian president or prime minister, but you will never have sovereignty, and Georgia will be fully under Russia's control. Based on the statements we hear, it appears that the Georgian authorities do not understand the reality. I also understand the concern that Georgia is a small country with occupied territories, but why are such statements being made? Ukraine has never... I repeat, never attempted to propose opening a second front in Georgia. We greatly appreciate the support that the Government of Georgia provides to Ukraine on the international stage, and much is being done in terms of humanitarian aid. This is an important step, but on the other hand, we do not understand the attacks on us. I hope that our nations will be able to have a sincere relationship with each other again; we have an irrational love for each other. On the front line of our struggle, dozens of volunteer Georgian fighters are protecting their dignity. Unfortunately, Georgians from foreign countries have suffered the most casualties in this war. I hope that the public love between our nations will soon be restored at the official level.

Maria Ivanova: Indeed, when we hear attacks from Georgian officials, it is especially sensitive and painful for us. For years, we have been working together towards our Euro-Atlantic future. We do not want to witness the silent occupation of Georgia. Georgia is a European country and deserves its own place in the West. It is painful for us to see that all these processes are frozen. This is the hardest reality for us because we have always been together. We want to see a victorious Georgia, not a war, as the Georgian government accuses us of.

Rusudan Shelia