"I think the moment is here now for the government of Georgia to work with all the stakeholders, including opposition parties, including civil society, to address the conditions and recommendations that the European Council gave," US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan told reporters on June 28. According to the Ambassador, the Georgian people voiced their support for Georgia's EU membership on June 20 [during mass protests]. 

She stated that it is a very straightforward response from the European Council and the European Union to Georgia that it is a member of Europe, and the European Union wishes to welcome Georgia in, but Georgia must demonstrate its dedication to democracy and reforms. "These are the same changes that Georgia has been working on and made progress on, and on which it must now make more progress," she said. 

The US Ambassador also highlighted Georgia-Ukraine ties, which have worsened in the past month due to Georgia's indifference to the Russia-Ukraine war. "Ukraine is fighting for every city, for every life. And now is not the time for Georgia and Ukraine to be at odds with one another. This is the time for these two countries to come together against the occupier [Russia] of both countries," said the US Ambassador to Georgia on June 28.

According to prior allegations that the Georgian and Ukrainian governments exchanged, the ambassador advised states to communicate through diplomatic channels rather than doing so in public, as this back and forth between Georgia and Ukraine only favours Russia. 

Concerning human rights, the US Ambassador noted, "For the United States, supporting democracy and preserving human rights are at the heart of our foreign policy here in Georgia and around the world. And this is one of the reasons why we have valued our close relationship with the Georgia Public Defender's Office." The Ambassador also expressed gratitude for the exceptional teamwork and emphasised the new programme, which is a direct donation to the Public Defender's Office. 

When asked about the ship carrying sanctioned cargo at Batumi, Ambassador Degnan expressed grave worry, stating that the government takes monitoring for attempts to circumvent sanctions very seriously and will continue to do so. "We are indeed investigating this matter. This is quite alarming, and we are monitoring this type of behaviour worldwide. We are collaborating with government agencies, including the Customs and Revenue Service and the Ministry of Economy. Following up on reports of this nature has been a cooperative endeavour. We will continue to watch any attempts to evade sanctions with extreme vigilance, as I know the government takes this matter extremely seriously, "she remarked.

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