On May 17, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili visited Iceland to attend the 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe, the Press Office of the Georgian government reported.

In his speech on the same day, Garibashvili reaffirmed Georgia's commitment to upholding and advancing the fundamental values of democracy, the rule of law, and human rights in his speech. He emphasized, "The Georgian Dream administration has a vision for a strong Georgia committed to democratic institutions and a free market economy. This vision is demonstrated by our multifaceted strategy for bolstering state institutions, including those that are essential to democracy, such as the judiciary, electoral system, and independent media; in protecting human rights, as well as in ensuring overall stability, sustainability and predictability for the Georgian people." Additionally, the Prime Minister stated that since taking office in 2012, the Georgian Dream Party has been developing effective and efficient policies and solidifying its vision through dynamic actions. "Key elements of Georgia's development agenda have been to ensure media independence, enhance the electoral process, and reform the judiciary," he continued.

He also emphasized how the EU's choice to acknowledge Georgia's European viewpoint reaffirmed that Georgia's future is in the European Union. "We are committed to moving forward quickly on the road to EU membership. We have made a sincere effort to meet nearly all of the 12 recommendations made for awarding Georgia the candidate status after considering this," he added. The Prime Minister stated that the shared history proves that multilateral cooperation and a rules-based international order have no alternative for peace, prosperity, and stability in the world and that Georgia remains steadfast in upholding and promoting the shared principles and values. He emphasized that Tbilisi looks forward to continued collaboration and progress within the Council of Europe.

About the Russo-Ukrainian War, Garibashvili said that Georgia firmly supports Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, drawing on its own experience of the Russian aggression in 2008, when we had a full-scale war with Russia. "This conflict caused great suffering for our nation, and 20% of our land is still under Russian occupation. As a result, Georgians are acutely aware of the costs associated with war and peace. Since we reclaimed our freedom, our nation has seen several conflicts," he added. The Prime Minister emphasized that the government has safeguarded long-term and uninterrupted peace for the first time in post-independence history. "We are conscious of what war brings and do everything for peace," the head of state said.