Russian MP: Georgia does not want to 'play games' with Russia amid Ukraine conflict

Russian MP on Georgia

Konstantin Zatulin, a Russian State Duma deputy and first deputy chairman of the committee on CIS affairs, Eurasian integration and relations with compatriots, said that the European Union was using Georgia’s aspirations to join the EU and NATO as a tool of pressure and was encouraging Tbilisi to escalate relations with Russia.

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“Russia put forward this proposal several years ago, and it received support from Abkhazia and South Ossetia.”

Konstantin Zatulin: “The European Union continues to blackmail Georgia through its own aspirations. At one point, Georgia turned towards the European Union and declared its intention to join the EU and NATO. The current government has not renounced these ambitions, although relations with the European Union have deteriorated.

In 2022, Georgia refused to pull chestnuts out of the fire for anti-Russian Europe. I am referring to attempts to push Georgia towards effectively opening a second front in southern Russia.

It is clear that Georgia was being encouraged into conflict with Russia, and now these attempts have resumed. Georgia is not the only country being forced to complicate relations with Russia for the sake of ties with the European Union. The same thing is happening, for example, with Serbia…”

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“We do not have the best relations with Georgia. We still do not have diplomatic relations. This is linked not to the European Union, but to the conflicts over South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Russia recognised South Ossetia and Abkhazia, while the Georgian political class is not inclined to abandon its previous claims towards Russia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

At the same time, Georgia has realised that it does not want to play games with Russia against the backdrop of the Ukraine conflict. Therefore, I do not think Georgia will accept the EU’s conditions or submit to its dictates. Georgia is not prepared to become a sacrifice for the EU’s struggle against Russia. Only Georgia’s opposition is ready for that, but it does not enjoy the trust of the majority.”