Ukrainian Ambassador to Georgia Ihor Dolhov left abruptly as a sign of protest during a speech by President of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy and Russian deputy Sergei Gavrilov, according to the page of "Public Diplomacy of Ukraine from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs" on Facebook.

"I will only comment on the desire of the Orthodox church in Ukraine. All Ukrainians want their own church, and what we know and what we got is tough resistance from Moscow. (...) The Christian religion and the church mean peaceful existence, not occupation of territories," Dolhov said.

Asked about Russia's chairmanship of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy, the ambassador said that this decision depends on the members of the organization.

The session of the 26th General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy (IAO) is held in Georgia on June 19-22. During the event, about 100 participants of delegations from 25 countries visited Georgia.