At a press conference in Sokhumi on October 19, Aslan Bzhania, the de-facto Abkhazian President, said that Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the forces behind him want to unleash a new war in the Caucasus. 

"Ukraine is trying to expand the geography of the participants in the conflict and create an additional belt of instability around Russia," Bzhania said. According to the President, he expects that the current leadership of Georgia will show restraint and pragmatism. "I do not think that war is beneficial for them today," he noted.

Bzhania noted, "Such statements by Zelenskyy are regular, and the West reacts either sluggishly or does not react at all because they share such views towards Abkhazia." 

"Abkhazia is constantly engaged in strengthening its defense capabilities, acting with its ally Russia as a united front," Bzhania stressed.

Moreover, he talked about Belarus's possible recognition of Abkhazia's independence. "It is too early to say that Belarus is ready to recognize Abkhazia, but work in this direction is underway. Establishing contacts between the heads of states and departments is already a serious achievement," he said.

Bzhania also said that a delegation from Abkhazia will go on a working trip to Belarus in late October.