On February 23, Oleksandr Shulha, the Ukrainian Charge D’affaires in Georgia, revealed that Ukraine had requested engineering equipment from the Georgian government. 

Shulha clarified that Ukraine routinely sends letters to various countries seeking assistance, and each country decides how to offer help. In the past, Georgia provided humanitarian aid to Ukraine, including medicine, 500 generators, and other assistance in 2022-2023. The current request for engineering equipment is aimed at aiding in the cleanup of infrastructure damaged by ongoing bombings in Ukraine.

Shulha also commented on diplomatic relations between Georgia and Ukraine, characterizing them as low. He highlighted Ukraine's concerns about Russia's increasing economic influence in Georgia and issues related to tourism, trade, and air links. Despite these concerns, Shulha emphasized that Ukraine has refrained from interfering in Georgia's internal affairs but has expressed its apprehensions regarding these matters.

The request from Ukraine raised suspicions among some Georgian officials, including Mamuka Mdinaradze, the leader of the parliamentary majority, who expressed concerns about potential hidden purposes behind the request. Mdinaradze voiced skepticism about Shulha's explanation, suggesting that the request for equipment from Georgia may serve ulterior motives. He expressed hope that the situation wouldn't spark a negative and speculative campaign, raising doubts about the true intentions behind Ukraine's request.