Russian top defence official accuses West of destabilising Georgia to expand influence

Valery Gerasimov, Russian Armed Forces Chief of the General Staff, has said that extra-regional players in the South Caucasus seek to draw Armenia into the orbit of their influence.

Gerasimov made the remarks at a briefing for foreign military attaches, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

“The situation in Transcaucasia remains complicated. Destructive influence on its development is exerted by the desire of extra-regional players, primarily the United States and the European Union, to strengthen their positions in the region, hold Georgia and draw Armenia into the orbit of their influence,” he noted.

According to him, the West is financing protests in Georgia in order to destabilise the situation.

“The West seeks to destabilise the situation by financing and directing protests in Georgia. These attempts show an interest in dragging the country into active anti-Russian actions according to the Ukrainian scenario,” Gerasimov added.

Notably, Russia has expressed strong criticism of the European Union (EU) and the United States (US) for their increasing support of Armenia, viewing these actions as a challenge to its traditional influence, a destabilizing factor in the region.

In January 2023, the EU deployed a civilian monitoring mission to Armenia's border with Azerbaijan. Russia criticized this move, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov describing the mission as "counterproductive" and suggesting it could "create additional tensions."

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's meetings with US and EU officials have further strained relations with Russia. In April 2024, the Russian Foreign Ministry criticized Pashinyan's trilateral talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, viewing them as part of Western efforts to weaken Armenia's alliance with Russia.

Meanwhile, Russia also firmly opposes Georgia's aspirations to join both the EU and the US-led NATO military alliance, leveraging economic and political influence to prevent Georgia from aligning with Western institutions. 

Georgia experienced significant political turmoil involving both domestic and international actors. The United States and the European Union were notably active in responding to these developments, which some observers interpreted as exerting substantial influence in the region. Georgia faced widespread protests following the government's decision to delay European Union accession talks until 2028. 

By Khagan Isayev