Kaja Kallas: 'Georgia is a stark reminder of what happens when Russia succeeds'
Kaja Kallas on Georgia
“Look at Georgia. It is a country where the overwhelming majority of people want a European future, but whose leadership limits political expression and shrinks civic space,” Kaja Kallas, the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, told Formula TV. She added that Georgia is a stark reminder of what happens when Russia succeeds.
Kaja Kallas said:
“Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine shattered the illusion that European security could be taken for granted. Hybrid attacks, disinformation, energy coercion and pressure on our borders have become part of everyday life. EU enlargement is not just a technical process. It is a strategic response. We already see the consequences of inaction.
Look at Georgia. It is a country where the overwhelming majority of people want a European future, but whose leadership limits political expression and shrinks civic space. Georgia is also a stark reminder of what happens when Russia succeeds — when a country remains in a ‘grey zone’, vulnerable to coercion and democratic backsliding. Enlargement is security policy by another name. Let’s apply it to our current candidate countries.
Candidate countries must accelerate reforms, especially on core issues: the rule of law, judicial independence, media freedom and the fight against corruption. As someone from a country that has gone through this process, I can say it is not just about meeting formal requirements.”
“It is about a country’s prosperity. If companies trust the legal system, they will trust the country and invest in it. That, in turn, brings jobs, economic growth and greater prosperity for people. The last enlargement window opened 13 years ago, but then closed.
Now that window is open again, but we are already seeing signs it is slowly closing. We need to use this moment to make accession by 2030 a realistic goal. But it is also a choice we have to make ourselves.”
Kaja Kallas on Georgia
