A group of Georgian medics will arrive in Ukraine early next week for a needs assessment mission to determine precisely what kind of assistance the Georgian side will provide to Kiev amid hostilities in eastern parts of the country, the Georgian ministry of healthcare said.

It said that the agreement was reached during a phone conversation between Georgian healthcare minister Davit Sergeenko and his Ukrainian counterpart on August 23.

The Georgian side is ready to send doctors to Ukraine for a humanitarian mission, provide medicines or to bring “Ukrainian patients wounded as a result of military hostilities” to Georgia for medical treatment, the Georgian healthcare ministry said.

Meanwhile on August 24 Georgian President and PM sent messages of congratulation on Ukraine’s Independence Day.

President Giorgi Margvelashvili said in his message to his Ukrainian counterpart that Georgian and Ukrainian people “have fought together for independence from the Soviet regime.”

“Since gaining freedom we have always stood by each other in the process of building the state. We remain your committed supporter now, when Ukraine still has to defend its choice and has to fight for strengthening of its sovereignty. We are driven by the desire to efficiently join our efforts with meaningful support of the international community towards the freedom of Ukraine,” the Georgian President said and paid tribute to “heroes, who have died for Ukraine.”

“I am deeply convinced that Ukraine will emerge victorious from these dramatic events,” the Georgian President said, adding that Georgia and Ukraine have “common goal and we have shared values.”

“We see our countries among the European democracies… and there is no force that can stand against this aspiration,” President Margvelashvili said.

PM Irakli Garibashvili said in his message of congratulation that “friendship between our countries is based on our common interests and values.”

“We appreciate highly Ukraine’s support and I would like to reassure you that Georgia is a reliable partner for Ukraine. We follow closely developments in the region and we hope that all the problems will be solved through peaceful and constructive way. We stand by you in this difficult time,” the Georgian PM said.