EU urges Georgia to support aviation sanctions against Russia

Flights between Russia and Georgia

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Peter Stano, has called on Georgia to join sanctions imposed against Russia in the aviation sector in commentary with the Georgian edition of Netgazeti.

Stano recommended that Georgia be vigilant against any attempt by Russia to circumvent the restrictions imposed on it, including a ban on Russian aviation flights to, from or through Russia.

As Stano points out, due to sanctions the renewal and maintenance of the Russian air fleet is difficult.

“In addition, in light of the serious concerns about the safety of Russian civil aviation expressed by the United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) regarding Russia, Georgia should not allow Russian aircraft to enter its territory, as they pose a danger. Due to EU sanctions, 95 percent of Russia’s fleet is no longer being modernized and improved, which is necessary to maintain international technical and flight safety standards,” Stano said.

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On February 3, the United States Department of State cautioned that if flights between Georgia and Russia are resumed, companies that serve Russian companies in Georgia would also be sanctioned.

According to the US Foreign Service, “the entire Western community has distanced itself from the brutal Russian regime, and now is not the time to expand engagement with Russia.”

On February 2, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov praised the Georgian government for resisting “unprecedented pressure from the West.” According to him, the West wants to “turn Georgia into an irritant for Russia.”

Moscow is increasingly discussing the possibility of resuming direct flights with Georgia, as evidenced by numerous statements. Grigory Karasin, head of the committee of the Council of the Russian Federation on International Affairs, also said this and added that Moscow is ready, but Tbilisi is hesitating.

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