CNN journalist says Georgia helping Russia bypass sanctions

Georgia, Russia, and sanctions

CNN journalist Christiane Amanpour cited Georgia as an example when talking to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen about circumvention of sanctions on Russia. The chairman of the Georgian Dream party, Irakli Kobakhidze, called this a lie and said that “this indicates the presence of a serious force interested in creating problems for Georgia.”

Christiane Amanpour asked von der Leyen: “You have already approved several packages [of sanctions] against Russia; however, we understand and probably you also know that many prohibited goods still enter Russia by a detour, including through Georgia. . How to make sure that Russia, which is under sanctions, can no longer get what it needs?”

Von der Leyen replied that attempts to circumvent sanctions are unacceptable:

“Yes, we have already introduced nine packages of sanctions, and these sanctions affect the Russian economy, although we certainly see that there are attempts to bypass them, and we cannot put up with it. We have already begun to say that we will compile a list of people who acquire technology or goods from the European Union and ship them to Russia. But the tenth package of sanctions will aim to close these loopholes, end these bypasses and create massive consequences for those who circumvent EU sanctions.”

According to Kobakhidze, Amanpour, “based on a fake article”, asked Ursula von der Leyen the question about “Georgia allegedly being a culprit in sanctioned products reaching Russia”:

“There are serious forces that we call the global war party, we know exactly what that means. We know the global war party, which wants to involve Georgia in the war and is trying to do this through various ways and methods.”

• Western goods reaching Russia through Georgia
• Most Russian companies registered in Georgia after February
• “If they close the border, there will be only one way left – war.” Stories of refugees from Russia

On January 15, The New York Times published an article by Ivan Nechepurenko about goods being imported to Russia in spite of sanctions.

As the author explains, Georgia has become a convenient logistical channel between Russia and the outside world, and that the importing of goods through Georgia and neighboring countries such as Armenia and Azerbaijan has helped Russia survive the economic downturn caused by its invasion of Ukraine.

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