66th Round of Geneva International Discussions

2026-03-20 - 13:22

The 66th round of Geneva International Discussions (GID), a multilateral format to address the security and humanitarian consequences of the 2008 Russia-Georgia war, was held on March 18-19 in Geneva. The Geneva International Discussions/GID were established based on the ceasefire agreement of August 12, 2008, brokered by the European Union. GID are co-chaired by representatives of OSCE, EU, and UN, and involve participants from Georgia, Russia, and the U.S., as well as members of both the exiled Georgian administrations of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia and the two regions’ Russian-backed authorities, in their personal capacities. Sessions are held in two working groups, with the first group discussing peace and security matters, and the second – humanitarian concerns. The main issues discussed at the GID are the implementation of the ceasefire agreement, the safe and dignified return of internally displaced persons and refugees to their homes, and the security and humanitarian problems created as a result of the Russian occupation. Unlike in previous talks, statements from Moscow, Sokhumi, and Tskhinvali after this round did not include calls to move the talks from Geneva to what they had previously described as a “truly neutral” venue. Georgian MFA Statement The Georgian delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Lasha Darsalia. The Georgian Foreign Ministry said that in this round, “after the long break,” the delegations were represented at a high level, calling it an “important step forward towards stabilizing the negotiation format.” In particular, the ministry’s press release said the U.S. was represented “for the first time since 2018” at the level of Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, with Sonata Coulter attending in that capacity. The United Nations co-chaired the negotiations through Mohamed Khaled Khiari, UN Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Europe, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, according to the Georgian side. According to the ministry, the Georgian delegation reiterated the need for the “full implementation” of the EU-brokered 2008 ceasefire agreement by Russia, as well as the “safe and dignified” return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees to their homes. The press release also said that the delegation emphasized the importance of restoring the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) in Gali “without any preconditions” and ensuring meetings are held regularly “in both Gali and Ergneti in accordance with its fundamental principles.” “Georgia sharply raised the issue of the grave situation regarding security, humanitarian and human rights in the occupied regions and the destructive actions of the occupying regimes,” the MFA said, adding that the “representatives of the occupation regimes, as in previous rounds, withdrew from the negotiations as soon as the subject of return of IDPs and refugees was raised.” Geneva Co-Chairs Communique In a joint press communiqué, the GID co-chairs said, “Despite persisting divergences, the discussions were substantive and open.” According to the press communiqué, participants emphasized that the “continued functioning” of the talks as a “unique platform for important exchanges on conflict-related matters” demonstrates their “commitment to a peaceful settlement of all pending issues.” “They equally stressed the GID’s important role in contributing to stability and security,” the press communiqué said, adding, “The co-chairs appealed to advance on all core agenda items and keep focus on conflict-affected populations.” In Working Group I, participants reviewed the security situation on the ground since the previous round in November 2025, with discussions focusing on “non-use of force and international security arrangements.” In Working Group II, participants addressed humanitarian issues, including crossings, documentation, livelihoods, missing persons, education and health, and continued discussions on freedom of movement and external mobility. However, the issue of the return of IDPs and refugees “could again not be discussed,” the co-chairs said, “due to a walkout by some participants.” “In this context, the Co-Chairs reiterate their call on participants to address all agenda items without preconditions,” the press communiqué added. Russian MFA Statement The Russian delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin. The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that participants reaffirmed their commitment to continuing work within the GID, describing the talks as “the necessary negotiating framework for post-conflict normalization of relations between Tbilisi and Abkhazia and South Ossetia.” “The Russian side emphasized the imperative of taking concrete steps to ensure lasting security in Abkhazia and South Ossetia,” the press release added, noting that a “legally binding agreement on the non-use of force” between Georgia and the two regions would facilitate it. “It would confirm the seriousness of the conciliatory signals coming from Tbilisi regarding the Abkhaz and South Ossetian peoples and, overall, would give a tangible boost to the negotiation process within the framework of the International Discussions.” The ministry said participants noted a “relatively calm” situation on the ground, attributing this in part to existing mechanisms, including regular discussions, “hotlines,” and the IPRM in Ergneti. “A real contribution to strengthening regional security could be the resumption of a similar mechanism at the Georgian–Abkhaz boundary in Gali, as well as the start of delimitation of Georgia’s state borders with Abkhazia and South Ossetia,” the ministry said. “The delegations of Russia, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia strongly insisted on the implementation of these measures.” The Russian side also criticized what it called Tbilisi’s “reluctance to abandon the artificial politicization of certain humanitarian issues,” arguing that Georgia’s annual UN General Assembly resolution on IDPs and refugees is “in violation” of “existing agreements” to address these issues within the GID format. Abkhaz Participants De facto foreign minister Oleg Bartsits was the highest ranking official from Sokhumi. Bartsits called the discussions an “important platform,” including for the goal of concluding a “legally binding agreement on the non-use of military force.” “We are ready to live by the principles of good neighborliness, especially with the Republic of Georgia, if it respects the established status quo,” he said. He described Abkhazia as an “integral player” in the eastern Black Sea region and the South Caucasus, adding, “With the support of our partners in the Russian Federation, we are building our own state project and will not deviate from this path.” “Our goal is simple: we want to live in good neighborly relations and develop our plans in cooperation with those countries that respect our principles and sovereignty.” South Ossetian Participants The participants from the occupied Tskhinvali region were headed by Konstantin Kochiev, the advisor to the de facto South Ossetian leader. The delegation emphasized “need for the delimitation and subsequent demarcation” of the so-called border, adding that developing a “draft document on the non-use of force” was a matter of particular focus. “A number of humanitarian issues were discussed at the meeting, with priority given to the fate of missing South Ossetian citizens,” the Tskhinvali side said, accusing Tbilsi of “continued violations of the rights of Ossetians, whom the Georgian authorities have for many years denied access to their homes and ancestral lands in the Tyrsygo Valley in the Kazbegi District of Georgia.” The participants from the Tskhinvali region said no discussion of IDPs took place, adding that talks on the issue would resume only if Georgia halts what it described as “attempts to unacceptably politicize this humanitarian problem.” The next round of the Geneva International Discussions was scheduled for June 2026. 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