Russia threatens Georgia with 'appropriate economic measures' if it joins the EU
Russia threatens Georgia
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing that if Georgia joins the European Union, Moscow will place the country on its list of “unfriendly states” and introduce “appropriate economic measures”. She said the move would respond to EU policy and would directly affect Georgian exports.
“Unfriendly states” list and economic impact
Zakharova said that if Georgia joins the European Union, Russia will impose economic restrictions on the country. She said these measures would affect Georgian goods, including mineral water, fruit and wine.
She argued that such steps would directly impact Georgian producers and reduce export volumes to the Russian market.
Argument about “loss of sovereignty”
The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman also criticised EU policy. She said she does not understand Georgia’s desire to join a bloc whose members, in her view, impose “unjustified sanctions” on the country.
Zakharova said that EU membership requires any country to transfer part of its national sovereignty to Brussels. She argued that the process follows a logic of political subordination rather than economic benefit.
She also claimed that the EU seeks compliance from third countries through “sanctions and blackmail” and that anti-Russian policy is one of the central elements of this approach.
Sanctions, transport links and visa regime
Zakharova said EU requirements for Georgia could affect air travel, the visa regime and transport links.
She argued that this scenario could lead to restrictions on the movement of Russian citizens to Georgia. She also said it could create additional barriers for cargo transportation.
In the same context, she noted that a large number of Russian citizens visit Georgia as tourists. She said this has significant economic importance for the country.
Tourism and “cultural exchange”
Zakharova said Russian tourists form an important part of Georgia’s tourism sector. She argued that their presence contributes both to economic growth and to cultural exchange.
She warned that if EU integration leads to tighter restrictions for Russians, it could threaten not only tourism but also contacts between people living in Russia and Georgia.
Zakharova described Brussels’ policy as a “neocolonial approach”. She said Western policy often relies on sanctions and pressure.
“In this regard, I would like to remind you that every fourth tourist in Georgia is from Russia. These are grateful and financially secure tourists, who also bring their friends to Georgia. Those friends, in turn, become great admirers of Georgian cuisine, culture, architecture and history.
Georgia’s accession to the European Union, given what we see as destructive demands from Brussels, would deal a severe blow to Georgia’s tourism industry. It would also threaten contact between relatives living in Georgia and Russia, who would lose the ability to visit each other normally,” Zakharova added.
Briefing wrap-up
At the end of the briefing, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said EU policy towards Georgia is “obvious” and that Moscow has held this view “for a long time”.
Zakharova also said Brussels follows a similar pattern in its dealings with other countries. She argued that the EU uses sanctions and political ultimatums as its main tools of pressure.
Russia threatens Georgia
