Russia signals readiness to support Georgian government

The Kremlin has expressed its readiness to "assist" the pro-Russian Georgian Dream party in retaining power, Russian Federation Council MP Andrei Klimov said.

"Russia will support the Georgian Dream party," Klimov declared, citing concerns over a potential "coup" amid protests and public discontent in Georgia. He emphasized that any coup would constitute interference by external forces in another country's internal affairs, breaching the UN Charter. Klimov likened the situation to Syria, where Russia intervened militarily upon the request of Assad’s legitimate government, ultimately stabilizing the situation. We have seen similar unrest before, and we acted decisively to restore order,” Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Klimov also suggested that Georgia might join the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), which includes Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. 

"The main thing is not to be late," he emphasized.

Explaining the broader context, Klimov stated that "President Vladimir Putin is building a security system on the Eurasian continent in which Georgia could potentially partake. Strengthening Russia's influence in the post-Soviet space is often seen as linear, but it might influence as an exemplary country. Russia has become a model for South Africa and Latin America. People enlightened by our side will understand why we have become a model for two billion people."

He continued by saying that "as for military actions in Ukraine, it’s NATO's war against Russia, and the Ukrainian people, bewildered, have become victims of Washington and its satellites."

This development follows the Georgian parliament's approval of a controversial "foreign agents" law in early March 2023, similar to legislation in Russia, which led to mass protests. Protests reignited in April 2024 when the draft law was registered again. Although President Salome Zurabishvili vetoed the law, the parliament managed to override her veto.