On September 17, Grigory Karasin, the head of the Russian Federation Council’s International Affairs Committee, praised Georgian Dream Honorary Chair Bidzina Ivanishvili’s pledge to apologize to "Ossetian sisters and brothers" for the August 2008 war. 

In a Telegram post, Karasin stated, "Georgia has matured politically over the past 16 years. The futility of eternal confrontation has become clear to many." He noted that Ivanishvili’s comment created "an opportunity to create a new atmosphere" in relations with the occupied Tskhinvali region and said it was "met with great interest in the Caucasus and around the world."

Karasin emphasized a growing understanding that "hostility and confrontation after Saakashvili’s adventurism in 2008 must give way to reason and stability." He reiterated, "For many, the futility of eternal confrontation became clear."

Additionally, Karasin remarked that Ivanishvili’s statement, which drew significant public backlash, particularly during the pre-election period, "predictably caused an explosion of scandalous emotions from focal groups who are not satisfied with the calm development of political processes in their own country." He also warned that forces around the world "who see their strategic interest in destabilizing Georgia and the region" would likely exacerbate the situation in the lead-up to the elections.