Georgia not to impose unilateral sanctions on Russia, FM says

Georgia has not introduced and will not introduce unilateral sanctions against Russia, as such measures would seriously harm the country, Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvili said.

“We cannot and will not impose sanctions, as this would have virtually no effect on Russia but would cause serious damage to Georgia,” Bochorishvili stated in an interview with the Georgian television company Rustavi 2, according to Georgian media cited by Caliber.Az.

Notably, Georgia's Western partners have recently voiced clear expectations that Tbilisi align more closely with EU and NATO positions. British and other Western diplomats have publicly urged Georgia to implement European sanctions fully and reduce Russian oil imports, suggesting Tbilisi could support sanctions “without opening a second front” in the Ukraine conflict.

At the same time, Georgia has faced criticism from EU institutions over a perceived reversal of its European integration path. A European Parliament report described a retreat from EU-aligned policies and noted democratic backsliding under the ruling Georgian Dream party.

Georgia has also taken some symbolic steps that align it with the West: the country co-sponsored and voted for a UN General Assembly resolution supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and condemning Russia’s invasion.

Domestically, the issue of sanctions intersects with Tbilisi’s economic ties to Russia. Russia remains one of Georgia’s largest trading partners, and Georgian officials stress that sanctions could damage local economic interests.

Meanwhile, London has targeted Georgian entities in its sanctions regime; for the first time, the UK imposed sanctions on two Georgian TV channels for alleged promotion of Russian disinformation, raising tensions over media and propaganda.

By Khagan Isayev