Ukraine sanctions Georgian oligarch Ivanishvili, PM, other officials amid pro-EU protests
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky signed on Dec. 5 sanctions against Georgian government officials who are, in his words, "surrendering Georgia to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin."
The sanctions target Bidzina Ivanishvili, an oligarch with business ties in Russia who is seen as the de facto leader of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, and 17 other individuals.
The announcement came amid the latest wave of anti-government protests that broke out in Tbilisi and other cities after Kobakhidze said the country's EU accession process had been postponed until at least 2028.
The ensuing police crackdown, which led to hundreds of arrests and at least dozens of injured protesters, prompted an international backlash. Opposition leaders and journalists were among those assaulted and detained.
"This is how it works in international affairs: if you do not respond in time or fail to respond with principle, then decades are lost, and countries are robbed of their freedom," Zelensky said in a video address published on his Telegram channel.
The sanctions list further includes Tbilisi mayor Kakha Kaladze, State Security Service chief Grigol Liluashvili, Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri, head of the pro-government TV channel Imedi, Irakli Rukhadze, and others.
"We must not lose anyone in this region – neither Georgia, nor Moldova, nor Ukraine. We must stand united in defending ourselves against Moscow," Zelensky added.
In power since 2012, Georgian Dream has been accused of encroaching on the country's democracy and press freedom and dragging the country back into the Kremlin's orbit. Earlier this year, the controversial "foreign agents" law prompted mass protests and violent crackdowns by police.
Zelensky appealed to partners in Europe and the U.S. to join the efforts and "act with principle." Earlier this week, Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia said they would bar Georgian Dream government officials entry in response to the crackdown.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken joined the condemnations against Georgia's ruling party, not ruling out imposing additional sanctions on top of those announced earlier this year.
