Tbilisi rebuffs Washington’s demands to abandon neutrality stance on Ukraine and adopt sanctions against Russia
The US has urged the Georgian government to reconsider its neutral position on the Ukrainian conflict and to align itself with Western democracies, including through sanctions against Russia.
In a meeting with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili in Washington on Friday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that it is time for Georgia to make a choice between the West and Russia.
We believe that Georgia’s future lies with the Euro-Atlantic community, and not with Russia, Blinken said. We urge you to join us in taking a strong stand against Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.
Garibashvili rebuffed Blinken’s demands, saying that Georgia would not abandon its neutrality stance and would not impose sanctions against Russia.
We understand the importance of our relationship with the West, but we also have a responsibility to our own people, Garibashvili said. We are not going to take any actions that would harm our economy or our security.
The US has been increasingly critical of Georgia’s position on the conflict in Ukraine, which has dragged on for over a year and has claimed the lives of thousands of civilians.
In recent weeks, US officials have said that they are frustrated by Georgia’s refusal to join the West in condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and have warned that Tbilisi could face consequences if it does not change its stance.
Georgia has a long and complicated history with Russia, and has fought two wars with its larger neighbor in the past 30 years.
The Georgian government is concerned that if it takes a strong stand against Russia, it could provoke Moscow into taking military action against Georgia.
