The international reaction to the Russo-Georgian War covered many nations, non-governmental organisations, and non-state actors. The conflict began in August 2008 in South Ossetia but spread to other parts of Georgia. The war had a considerable humanitarian impact and affected the financial markets of Russia and Georgia.
In general, Georgia accused Russia of aggression, whereas Russia accused Georgia of genocide and crimes against humanity targeting Ossetians and Russian peacekeepers. Most other countries called for peace, with some demanding respect for Georgia's territorial integrity while others supported Russian intervention. The Russian invasion of its US-aligned neighbor caused Russia–United States relations to plummet for the first time since the end of the Cold War and led to heated verbal exchanges. In the next year, the new US administration chose a policy of the reset.
National statements Country Response Argentine Foreign Ministry stated on August 8 that the Argentine government "deplores the violence, and exhorts involved parties to avoid any escalation that could worsen the conflict", and hopes that "peace is immediately restored in the region." The Armenian Foreign Ministry said on 8 August, "We are certainly concerned about the situation and hope that a solution will be found very quickly.
Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan declared that the conflict was Georgia's internal matter, but peace in Armenia's neighboring country was preferred.
On 9 August 2008, the Armenian Consulate in Batumi organized the evacuation of Armenian citizens from Georgia. The Armenian Foreign Ministry urged Armenian citizens to refrain from visiting Georgia. The Armenian Foreign Ministry announced on 10 August that Armenia would not collect visa fees from foreigners entering from Georgia. The Armenian Foreign Ministry reported on 11 August that Armenia had facilitated the evacuation of 2500 foreigners from Georgia.
On 10 August 2008, the Armenian Defense Ministry rejected reports that the Russian planes based in Gyumri were bombing the Georgian territory.
On 12 August 2008, Armenian Transport Minister Gurgen Sarkisian said that deliveries from Georgia were not hindered.
On 13 August 2008, Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan called his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev and expressed condolences.
On 14 August 2008, Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan sent a letter of condolences to Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili and promised humanitarian assistance.
Following Russia's recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the Armenian Foreign Ministry stated that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, along with other conflicts in the Caucasus, should be resolved "on the basis of a free expression of peoples' will." Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan told Russian president Dmitry Medvedev during their meeting on 2 September that Armenia would aid Russia to "eliminate consequences of the humanitarian disaster".
In November 2008, President Sargsyan discussed the EU compensation of war damages for Armenia with José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission.
WikiLeaks revealed in 2011 that US diplomat Joseph S. Pennington had reported that Georgian Foreign Minister Eka Tkeshelashvili refused to meet with her Armenian counterpart Eduard Nalbandyan while she had flight from Yerevan. It was also reported that Armenian president Sargsyan could not establish phone contact with his Georgian counterpart Saakashvili after a phone call with Russian president Medvedev, and that the Prime Minister of Georgia was also ignoring phone calls from his Armenian counterpart. Armenian foreign minister Eduard Nalbandyan was quoted as saying that Armenia did not want to agitate Armenians in Samtskhe–Javakheti against Tbilisi. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd urged on 10 August to cease hostilities and supported Georgia's territorial integrity. He said, "At a minimum, we need to see a ceasefire." Opposition leader Julie Bishop also called for the ceasefire. Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said that Australian representatives would call on Russian officials to cease hostilities. The Russian ambassador to Australia would be handed an official request for a ceasefire. However, Australian and international calls for a ceasefire, in addition to the Georgian offer of a ceasefire on 10 August, were rejected by Russia.
In September 2008, Australia halted the uranium export deal with Russia in response to the Russian invasion of Georgia. On 11 August, Austrian foreign minister Ursula Plassnik called for a ceasefire and asked Russia to respect Georgia's territorial integrity. A spokesman for the Azeri Foreign Ministry, Khazar Ibrahim, said on August 8 that Georgian actions were in accord with international law and that Azerbaijan supported the territorial integrity of Georgia.
Modern Musavat Party stated on 9 August that the war was the fault of the Russian peacekeepers, who were supporting South Ossetian separatists, and the UN Security Council must take steps to resolve the conflict.
The leader of Azerbaijan's state oil company said on 9 August that his country had stopped exporting oil through Georgia's Black Sea ports.
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry announced on 11 August that Azerbaijan had eased the visa regime for foreign citizens evacuating from Georgia.
The Russian ambassador, Vasili Istratov, decided to organize a press conference on 11 August, open only to journalists who were not critical of Russia.
One anonymous official told The New York Times that the success of the Russian invasion and failure of international community to strongly react sent a dangerous signal to Azerbaijan.
President Ilham Aliyev supported the territorial integrity of Georgia.
On 14 August 2008, the Azerbaijani Health Ministry sent 25 tons of medicines to Georgia.
President Aliyev declared during his meeting with Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on 20 August that the conflict in Georgia was damaging Azerbaijan economically.
On 20 August, President Aliyev declared that both Russia and Georgia were friends of Azerbaijan and Azerbaijan preferred that Russia and Georgia become friends too. Aliyev met with President of Romania Traian Băsescu on 21 August to discuss the situation in Georgia.
In September 2008, Russian president Dmitry Medvedev and Ilham Aliyev did not reach an understanding on the August conflict.
In October 2008, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said that Russia complied with Azerbaijan's request not to touch Azerbaijani-owned infrastructure in Georgia during the war.
58% of Azerbaijan's population supported the country's NATO membership in 2007, and after the Russian invasion of Georgia, this number fell to 48% by 2009. The caretaker government's Foreign Advisor, Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, said on August 10, "This outbreak of violence is a matter of deep concern for the international community, including Bangladesh. We hope for an early cessation of hostilities." According to The Guardian, after the Russian invasion, pro-Russian Belarus was "trembling", being "strangely" speechless for days before the "last dictatorship in Europe" decided to back Russia.
Maria Vanshina, Deputy Head for Information of Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "The use of military force in the zone of South Ossetia, civilian casualties, bloodshed, economic losses, ruined peaceful life of people cause a deep concern in us. Only immediate ceasefire, peaceful and civilized manner of negotiating will secure stability in the South Ossetian region and across the Caucasus."
After the Russian ambassador to Belarus commented on 12 August on the "modest silence" of Belarus, the next day, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko expressed his support for South Ossetian civilians and promised aid. The president's press service issued a statement saying, "The people, like all Russians, is in mourning over the victims of the tragedy and shares the concerns of those who lost relatives, their homes and their livelihoods. May they have strength and courage in overcoming the consequences of this humanitarian catastrophe." Earlier, the Foreign Ministry had only called for a ceasefire.
Prime Minister Sergey Sidorsky announced on 14 August the sending of humanitarian relief. He said that Belarus would accommodate several thousand children for the next two months.
The president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, said on 19 August, "Russia acted calmly, wisely and beautifully". Lukashenko met Russian president Medvedev in Sochi on 19 August.
On 20 August 2008, Lukashenko received the presidents of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in Minsk. Lukashenko declared that there had been "no war" but a "beautiful operation".
In September 2008, President Lukashenko told The Financial Times that it was "absolutely idiotic" to propose that Russia would repeat the Georgian scenario in Belarus. Lukashenko said that the western influence prevented the post-Soviet states from recognizing Abkhazia and South Ossetia. On 20 August 2008, Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht said that the war demonstrated that accepting Georgia into NATO was risky.
In September 2008, Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht said that events in Georgia should not influence the timetable of Georgia's accession to NATO. He also said that he was against the EU membership for Ukraine and Georgia.
On 15 September, Karel De Gucht said that Belgium would initially refrain from participation in the EU monitoring mission. He noted the uncertainty whether the monitors would be able to enter Abkhazia and South Ossetia: "If Europeans can only deploy in the security zone, that gives me a bad feeling, as, basically, we will have to protect borders which we have not recognised."
On 25 September 2008, Senator Josy Dubié said that Belgium must block Georgia's NATO membership. The Government of Republika Srpska sent condolences to the families of those South Ossetians who were killed during the war. Its August 14 statement condemned Georgia for taking unilateral military action and called Russia's actions "legitimate". The Brazilian Foreign Ministry stated on August 8, "Brazil deplores the use of violence and supports the peaceful solution of disputes. Brazil urges the parties involved to seek dialogue, for an immediate cease-fire and reconciliation in order to restore peace and security in the region, based on International Law." The Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared in a statement on August 8 that "the reports of victims among the civilian population in the region and in the town of Tskhinvali cause particular anxiety."
Bulgarian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivailo Kalfin stated on August 10, "Bulgaria supports a strong and active European position on the conflict in South Ossetia." Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs, David Emerson, stated on August 8, "We call for an immediate halt to the hostilities and strongly urge all parties involved to display restraint in words and deeds, and to respect national boundaries." On 10 August, Minister of Foreign Affairs David Emerson stated, "I am very concerned about the expansion of hostilities well beyond the region of South Ossetia. Rather than acting as a neutral peacekeeper, Russia has escalated the hostilities through its attacks on Georgian towns and cities outside the conflict zone. Canada calls on Russia to respect Georgia's borders and to desist from any further encroachment on Georgia's territorial integrity."
On 27 August, International Co-operation Minister Bev Oda announced an additional $2 million in humanitarian aid. On August 11, Foreign Minister Alejandro Foxley called for a cease-fire, "because the worst from these situations, where territories are disputed, is the large amount of victims, who are absolutely innocent people." A spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Qin Gang said on August 10, "China calls upon relevant parties to keep restraint and cease fire immediately."