Day: June 5, 2026
Georgia will not participate in the first expert meeting of the 3+3 Regional Cooperation Platform scheduled for June 5 on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), the Georgian Foreign Ministry said, reiterating Tbilisi’s longstanding position on the initiative.
“Georgia’s position is well known and has been repeatedly stressed by the Georgian side. Georgia has never participated in the meetings of this framework,” the ministry told Civil.ge on June 4.
The statement came a day after Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova announced that Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin would take part in the platform’s first expert-level meeting at SPIEF.
“On June 5, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin will take part in the first expert meeting of the 3+3 Regional Cooperation Platform – Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia, plus Russia, Iran and Türkiye – at SPIEF,” Zakharova said.
The 3+3 format was launched in 2021 following the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war. The initiative was designed to promote regional dialogue and cooperation among the three South Caucasus countries, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and three neighboring regional powers, including Russia, Iran, and Turkey.
Despite being included in the platform’s title, Georgia has never joined the framework. Tbilisi has consistently declined participation, citing its position toward Russia. Georgia’s refusal to participate has remained unchanged despite repeated statements from Russian officials suggesting that the platform’s door remains open to Tbilisi.
The upcoming meeting in St. Petersburg marks the first expert-level gathering held under the 3+3 framework.
Also Read:
- 21/02/2025 – Opposition “Strong Georgia” Slams GD’s Stance on 3+3 Platform
- 01/11/2023 – Foreign Affairs Committee Chair: No 3+3 Participation without De-occupation
- 24/10/2023 – 3+3 Platform Calls for Georgia’s ‘Equal Participation’
- 14/01/2022 – Lavrov Hopes Baku, Ankara, Yerevan Can Convince Tbilisi on Joining 3+3
- 12/11/2021 – Russian MFA Notes Tbilisi’s ‘Contradictory Statements’ on 3+3 Platform
