Mikhail Kalugin, Director of the Fourth Department of the CIS countries at the Russian Foreign Ministry, said the European Union, “in its policy of isolating Russia,” has “stumbled over Georgia,” while “even greater pragmatism has prevailed” in Tbilisi based on the “interests of the country and its people.”
In a May 12 interview with Russian state news agency TASS, Kalugin, speaking about Russia’s relations with South Caucasus countries, was asked how EU policy toward Georgia, “in particular Brussels’ push for rejecting any cooperation with Russia,” affects Russian-Georgian relations.
“In its policy of isolating Russia, the EU has stumbled over Georgia as well,” he said, adding, “Moreover, the arm-twisting of the Georgian authorities by EU officials and their brazen interference in the republic’s affairs have produced an outcome unexpected for Brussels. In Tbilisi, even greater pragmatism has prevailed, based on the fundamental interests of the country and its people.”
“One would think the EU should have drawn the appropriate conclusions. Quite the contrary, it has resorted even more frequently to blackmail and threats in an attempt to force Georgia to change course,” Kalugin said.
He then argued that “thanks to the fact that Georgia is not following the intrusive ‘advice’ of its patrons,” apparently referring to Brussels, “it is developing successfully,” citing Georgian economic growth figures and adding that “an important factor” behind it has been the “expansion of trade with Russia.” Kalugin said that, despite Tbilisi’s “enormous efforts” to move closer to the EU, “70% of Georgian exports are directed to CIS markets.”
He then claimed that Brussels is “publicly demanding that Georgia join the EU’s anti-Russian sanctions, impose an energy embargo against our country, and halt transport links, including flights,” suggesting that such measures would harm the Georgian economy, while saying EU officials are “not concerned about that” and that their goal is to harm Russia “even at the expense of Georgia’s interests.”
He further claimed that Georgia and Russia are “natural partners” and that Moscow is ready to “continue developing cooperation” with Tbilisi and to “constructively resolve practical issues.”
Speaking on the broader South Caucasus region, Kalugin described it as “geographically distant and culturally alien” for Westerners, who, according to him, “have not constructive but destructive intentions there, linked to geopolitical games, and not only against Russia.” He added that “in this regard, the public admission by Tbilisi that since 2022 it was literally being demanded to open a ‘second front’ against Moscow is indicative,” referring to Georgian Dream’s accusation that the West has sought to draw Georgia into the war with Russia.
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