Laymen’s thoughts regarding the "church" vestibule (over the visit of Ilya II, the Georgian peacemaker Patriarch, to Moscow in January 2013)
In January 2013, Catholicos-Patriarch Ilya II of All Georgia met in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. He conveyed the reassurances from Bidzina Ivanishvili, the new leader of Georgia, about the intent to do the best to reestablish full-scale relations between Georgia and Russia. However, by default it was understood by the Georgian leaders that Georgia should restore its sovereignty over Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which Russia can hardly accept because the refusal of Russia to recognize the independence of these republics will trigger the disintegration of the Russian Federation.