Tbilisi Mayor questions sanctions on Russia while some European nations continue trade

“Why should we do something that is detrimental to our own nation?” the Mayor of Tbilisi addressed the media when commenting on the conclusions published by the EU Council Presidency regarding the enlargement of the European Union.

According to Kakha Kaladze, the EU Council’s call to impose specific sanctions on Russia is unthinkable, especially considering that some European countries themselves maintain economic relations with Russia.

“What sanctions should we impose on Russia? They themselves engage in extensive trade with Russia. Some European countries are urging us to impose sanctions on Moscow, yet just look at the recent trade figures and their substantial economic exchanges with Russia. Are we fools? It seems that if we were to impose sanctions on Russia, we would be crippling its economy. That is simply unthinkable; we would be damaging our own economy and harming the hardworking people of Georgia. Why should we take actions that are detrimental to our own country? Meanwhile, these same nations continue trading with Russia today,” emphasised Kakha Kaladze.

For your context, the Presidency of the Council of the European Union regularly publishes conclusions on enlargement, which also mention Georgia. According to the latest document, the EU Council expects Georgia to intensify efforts to fully align with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), particularly regarding the EU’s restrictive measures against Russia and Belarus, which have been adopted as a top priority in response to Russia’s aggressive war against Ukraine. Additionally, the Council calls on Georgia to continue its efforts to prevent the circumvention of EU sanctions.