Kobakhidze defends Georgia’s decision not to join sanctions on Russia

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze reiterated his support on October 10 for Tbilisi’s decision not to join sanctions against Russia.

He was responding to a journalist’s question about the United States easing restrictions on Russian diesel fuel. RIA Novosti and Georgia’s public broadcaster 1TV reported the prime minister’s comments.

Kobakhidze described the Georgian authorities’ earlier choice as rational and pragmatic. In his assessment, it was correct and had no viable alternative, with the change to U.S. restrictions further supporting that approach.

The prime minister also recalled that Georgia’s refusal to join sanctions had attracted extensive criticism at the time. His remarks concerned his assessment of an existing policy decision during an exchange with reporters about U.S. measures affecting Russian diesel.