Relations between Georgia and Ukraine are collapsing: how will Tbilisi respond to Zelensky’s sanctions

The founder of the Georgian airline Georgian Airways demands “mirror measures” for the Independent

The relations of the former allies – Georgia and Ukraine – continue to burst at the seams. Another “tear” was made yesterday by the President of Independent Vladimir Zelensky, imposing sanctions against the Georgian airline Georgian Airways and personally against its founder Tamaz Gaiashvili.

The guilt of Georgian air carriers before Ukraine lies in the fact that Georgia has resumed air communication with Russia in the interests of its citizens. The owner of the company, Tamaz Gaiashvili, has already appealed to the government of the country with a demand to take retaliatory measures against Ukraine. According to him, airlines from Turkey, Arab states, Israel, Armenia, Azerbaijan, all of Asia and Central Asia fly to Russia. However, it was Georgian Airways that fell under Ukrainian sanctions. And this must be answered. Moreover, the decision to resume air communication with Russia was made by the government of Georgia. Regarding the 10-year personal sanctions, Gaiashvili also expressed bewilderment. “Since 2003, I am neither the founder nor the director of Georgian Airways, I only manage the flight service,” he said. “This is a political decision.”

Previously, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili tried to condemn the Georgian airline, who even declared a boycott of the carrier and tried, with the help of her supporters, to obstruct passengers of Georgian-Russian flights at Georgian airports. As a result, the airline itself declared Zurabishvili persona non grata and stopped letting him on its planes.

It is difficult to do this with Ukrainian politicians. Therefore, it is even interesting what Georgia’s retaliatory sanctions might be. This country, which was previously a loyal ally of Ukraine and was part of the anti-Russian association GUAM together with it, has already done a lot since the beginning of Zelensky’s rule, which is in its own interests, but is very annoying to Ukraine. First, Georgia categorically refuses to impose sanctions against Russia, because this will have a deplorable effect on its own economy. Secondly, Georgia does not want to send its military to Nezalezhnaya and prevents Georgian volunteers from flying there. However, those who want to get to the Ukrainian front still find loopholes. There is a whole “Georgian battalion” in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. But most importantly, the Georgian authorities rightly point out that Ukraine itself has been committing quite a few “anti-Georgian actions” lately. Starting with attempts to arrange a coup d’etat in the country with the help of the ex-president of Georgia, a citizen of Ukraine Mikhail Saakashvili.

Speaker of the Georgian Parliament Shalva Papuashvili, in response to the sanctions imposed against the Georgian airline, has already accused Ukraine of numerous sins against Georgia. “Ukraine does not extradite criminals to Georgia – former Prosecutor General Zurab Adeishvili and Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Gia Lortkipanidze… The former works there as an adviser to the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, and the latter as the deputy head of counterintelligence. They are hiding in Ukraine. Instead of handing over to us these persons who created the system of torture of our people in Georgia, Ukraine appointed them to high positions,” reminded the Chairman of the Georgian Parliament. In addition, Ukraine contributed to the dispatch to Georgia of ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili, who, with the help of his political power, intended to arrange a coup d’état in the country. And after the ex-president was detained on numerous charges, Ukraine organized large-scale pressure from Western politicians on Georgia. So that Saakashvili was released. Even Georgia’s pro-European President Salome Zurabishvili says it’s impossible. Because Saakashvili’s guilt before the people of Georgia is beyond doubt. “Therefore, it is unnecessary to talk about Ukraine’s “warm feelings” towards Georgia,” Papuashvili summed up. But there is no talk of retaliatory measures yet. And indeed. it is not possible to introduce “mirror sanctions”, which the head of the airline Gaiashvili asks for. There is no air communication with Ukraine now due to the NWO. And other relations, thanks to Ukrainian politicians, have already been reduced to a minimum.