Georgia's refusal to confront Russia key factor behind sanctions, says Tbilisi mayor

Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, has stated that sanctions imposed by the West on Georgia are directly related to the country's refusal to confront Russia and open a second front in the ongoing conflict.

Kaladze explained that Western nations, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Lithuania, and Estonia, imposed sanctions in 2024 because of Georgia's decision to maintain its neutrality, Caliber.Az reports citing Georgian media.

The West has criticized Georgia for allegedly straying from democratic principles, but Kaladze argues that the sanctions stem from Georgia's stance on the war.

“Why are they doing this? All this has its own reasons: one of them is that we have not ceded the country, we have not dragged it into war, we have not opened a second front,” Kaladze remarked.

The Georgian official also mentioned that such calls for Georgia to join the conflict have been made repeatedly in private conversations, often by diplomats, although he refrained from naming specific individuals or countries involved.

Kaladze further emphasized that Georgia would not be intimidated by sanctions or diplomatic pressure, asserting that the government remains steadfast in its decision to avoid escalating the conflict with Russia. He also pointed out that joining anti-Russian sanctions would have severely harmed Georgia’s economy, and as such, the country chose not to participate in them.

Georgia’s position on the war and its refusal to take sides in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has led to tensions with its Western allies, but Kaladze’s statements reinforce the government's commitment to its neutral stance.

By Vafa Guliyeva