Georgian government condemned and expressed “concern” over violence in Kiev, where, reports say, three protesters died in clashes with police on January 22.

“We are watching with alarm developments in our friendly and partner country, Ukraine,” PM Irakli Garibashvili said in a written statement. “We are deeply concerned that developments in the streets of Kiev resulted in casualties.  We express our deep sorrow over this fact.”

“We condemn any violence and hope that the Ukrainian government and the society as a whole will show wisdom and will not allow further violent developments. We believe that our Ukrainian friends are capable of solving political issues pertinent to the country’s democratic development through peaceful negotiations,”

The Georgian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Tbilisi “respects each and every country's right to choose its foreign policy priorities, but it is necessary to protect the principle of freedom of expression and assembly.”

"The Georgian Foreign Ministry calls on the Ukrainian government and participants of the demonstration to refrain from use of force and expresses hope that Ukraine, which is Georgia's traditionally friendly country... will be able to resolve the situation through dialogue,” reads the statement.

“We sincerely wish to see Ukraine in future, together with Georgia, in a large European family, as the country sharing common European values,” the Georgian Foreign Ministry said.

Speaking at a parliamentary bureau session on January 22, parliament speaker Davit Usupashvili said that increased tensions in Kiev “cause our common concern.”

“Political forces in the Parliament have expressed for number of times our unequivocal support towards the Ukrainian people. We hope that Ukrainian leadership, people, opposition will be able to avoid worse [scenario]… It is very important for the Ukrainian people, Georgia and for the entire region,” Usupashvili said.

Expressing concern over “dramatic developments” in Kiev, the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party said in a statement: “The main reason behind escalating violence is pressure exerted by Russia on Ukraine ahead of the Vilnius Summit aimed at deterring Kiev from signing the Association Agreement with the European Union.”

UNM also said that Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych also shares responsibility for these developments because of his “ignorance of opinion of the hundreds of thousands of the Ukrainian citizens and inability to engage in dialogue.” UNM also condemned newly passed laws limiting the right to protest in Ukraine.

“Together with the international community, it is our duty to express full solidarity to the Ukrainian people’s aspiration towards the family of European nations founded on freedom, rule of law and human rights. Georgia should do its utmost to resist any attempt of dragging Ukraine into Putin’s Eurasian Union. Ukraine’s freedom is our freedom,” said UNM, which is a partner party of the Ukrainian opposition UDAR party, led by Vitaly Klitschko.