Ukraine Imposes Sanctions on Georgia's Pro-Russian Government, President Zourabichvili Thanks Zelenskyy
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a decree imposing sanctions on the pro-Russian government of Georgia, including on Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili. In total, the sanctions affect 19 people. This is evidenced by Zelenskyy's online statement and the website of the Office of the President of Ukraine.
‘I have just signed a decree that gives effect to the decision of the National Security and Defence Council on sanctions. These are sanctions against the part of the government in Georgia that is now handing over Georgia to Putin...
Ukraine has imposed sanctions against Ivanishvili and his accomplices - 19 people. These are the people who sell the interests of Georgia and its people.
And we call on Europe, America, and everyone in the world to do the same - to act on principle,’ the President said.
According to him, if we do not respond in time or if we do not respond on principle, we will lose decades and countries deprived of freedom: ‘We cannot lose anyone in this region - neither Georgia, nor Moldova, nor Ukraine.’
The President's Office published a sanctions list, which also includes Kakha Kaladze, a former player of the Ukrainian football club Dynamo Kyiv, now the mayor of Tbilisi and secretary general of the ruling Georgian Dream party.
The sanctions list also includes, among others:
- Head of the State Security Service of Georgia Grigol Liluashvili;
- Head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Vakhtang Gomelauri;
- Head of the Court of Appeal of Georgia Mikheil Chinchaladze;
- former Prosecutor General of the country Otar Partskhaladze;
- Irakli Rukhadze, owner of the Imedi TV company;
- Irakli Karseladze, Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure;
- Deputy Prime Minister Thea Tsulukiani;
The sanctions will be in place for 10 years.
President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili thanked President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the sanctions. ‘I could not have said it better. Thank you, Volodymyr! Russia is trying to regain control of the Black Sea!’ - Zourabichvili wrote on the social network X, commenting on Zelensky's statement.
Protests continue in Georgia after the prime minister's statement that Tbilisi is putting on hold the issue of opening EU accession talks until 2029.
The Baltic states have already announced sanctions against Georgian officials involved in the crackdown, including the de facto leader of the ruling party, oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili.