Georgia still serves as a key route for Russia to evade sanctions. This was stated by Laura Thornton, Director of Global Democracy Programs at the McCain Institute, during a briefing at the U.S. Helsinki Commission.

According to her, “Georgian Dream” has “reversed the narrative about who Georgia’s friends are and who Georgia’s enemies are.”

Thornton noted that “Georgian Dream” refers to Americans as “hostile actors” and accuses them of being part of a “global war party.”

“However, I believe that Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine marked Georgia’s final break from the West and its full descent into authoritarianism. Georgia quickly began helping Russia, not Ukraine. It still serves as a key route for Russia to evade sanctions. This is truly ironic given that Ukraine and Georgia have so much in common, and that 20% of Georgia’s territory is occupied by Russia.

Georgia’s leaders endlessly attack Ukraine and Zelenskyy. They are relatively silent about Russia and instead redirect their attacks toward Europe and the United States. They call us ‘hostile actors,’ accuse us of being part of a ‘global war party’ dragging Georgia into a second front, and accuse Europe of what they themselves call ‘liberal fascism.’

By contrast, ‘Georgian Dream’ openly calls China and Iran its friends, allies, and partners. For example, there is a photo in which Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze is standing next to Hamas - in Tehran.

So, ‘Georgian Dream’ has truly reversed the narrative about who Georgia’s friends are and who Georgia’s enemies are,” Thornton said.