Georgian PM accuses EU, US of attempts to entangle country in war with Russia

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has accused the European Union and the United States of exerting pressure on his country to open a “second front” against Russia, warning that the EU is weaponising visa liberalisation as political leverage.

Speaking at a press briefing on July 18, Kobakhidze said the EU had shifted into what he called an “offensive mode” against Georgia after Tbilisi refused to take part in the conflict in Ukraine, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

“The desire to open a second front in Georgia is so strong that the so-called ‘global war party’ has restructured the entire European bureaucracy into an assault mechanism against Georgia. Their last remaining card appears to be the threat of revoking visa-free travel, using it to stir public unrest and attempt regime change,” he stated.

The Prime Minister also accused the former US administration of contributing to these efforts, specifically naming former Secretary of State Antony Blinken and ex-US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan. 

He claimed that shortly after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Washington began taking punitive steps against Tbilisi.

“The Biden administration’s rhetoric made clear that Georgia would face consequences for not following the directives of the ‘global war party’. They moved from words to actions—introducing unjustified sanctions, cancelling the strategic partnership agreement without explanation, and ultimately sanctioning the founder of Georgian Dream, accusing him of ties to Russia without presenting evidence,” he added.

By Aghakazim Guliyev