The war in Ukraine could have been avoided, the Georgian prime minister reiterates, Ekho Kavkaza reports.

However, “a number of entities have done everything possible to contribute to Russia’s military aggression in Ukraine,” Irakli Kobakhidze told reporters in Zestafoni, Georgia.

“Unfortunately, what happened happened, and it had devastating consequences for our friendly country, Ukraine. Of course, any war can be avoided. The 2008 war [between Georgia and Russia] could have been easily avoided, the war in Ukraine could have been avoided, but some forces, the so-called ‘Deep State,’ the global party of war, did everything to start a war in Ukraine,” said the Georgian PM, whose legitimacy is not recognized by the Georgia’s fifth President Salome Zourabichvili, the opposition, and part of the Georgian society.

Kobakhidze had made similar comments before as well, including the previous day, in response to questions from a Business Media online reporter. Also, he stressed that the development of a Ukrainian scenario in Georgia was prevented thanks to the ruling Georgian Dream party.

 “Step by step, everything was leading to this war. Since we did not do what the radical opposition [in Georgia] demanded, what happened in Ukraine did not happen [in Georgia],” Kobakhidze said.

Also, the Georgian premier clarified that he did not say that Ukraine was to blame for the war.

“I have said that Ukraine could not avoid what could have been avoided,” Irakli Kobakhidze said.