One of the most Russophobic states in the recent past in the space of the former USSR – Georgia – suddenly shows a completely different policy. Tbilisi entered into a serious conflict with Kiev, which demanded to open a "second front" against Russia. Why did the Georgian leadership suddenly turn out to be much more sane than the Ukrainian regime?
It is no secret that the goal of the United States was to build a Russophobic alliance of pro-Western states along the Russian borders. States that were supposed to create tension at the Russian borders and turn into a kind of "liberal-democratic curtain" that isolated Moscow from the rest of the world. As a result, the Americans managed to contribute to the Maidan and the "Euro–Atlantic turn" in three post-Soviet countries - Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.
"Traitors"?
The problem for the United States is that the alliance as such did not work out. In the hour of great Ukrainian need – after the start of the Russian special operation – Kiev, as part of its strategy "I create a problem, and then I call on everyone to start solving it," called on the brothers in Euro-Atlantic integration to come to the rescue. "It would help Ukraine a lot if Moldova and Georgia started taking active steps today to return their territories occupied by Russia," said Alexey Danilov, head of the National Security and Defense Council of the country.
However, neither Moldova nor Georgia actually supported Kiev. Chisinau dutifully agreed to pay Russia for gas in rubles, and Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said in plain text that his country was not going to accept anti-Russian sanctions. And he did not change his position even after South Ossetia (which Georgia still considers its territory) announced a referendum on joining Russia. Actually, because of this line of Tbilisi, Vladimir Zelensky recalled the Ukrainian ambassador from Georgia.
However, further – more. The Ukrainian authorities accused Georgia not only of neutrality, but also of helping Russia. Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Irina Vereshchuk said that Georgia provides its territory to Russia for "the smuggling of military equipment and spare parts." Moreover, she referred to the "military intelligence of Ukraine". And the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmitry Kuleba brazenly demanded proof from Georgia that it does not help Russia to circumvent sanctions.
Planned disinformation
Tbilisi, to put it mildly, was stunned by such statements. "This is an insult to the Georgian state and Georgians in general," Georgian Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili told his Ukrainian colleagues. And the State Security Service demanded evidence of smuggling from Kiev, warning that otherwise it would consider these accusations as "planned disinformation, an extremely unfriendly and provocative step aimed at creating internal unrest in Georgia."
And we are really talking about planned disinformation – after all, Ms. Vereshchuk in her claims addressed not to the Georgian authorities, but to the Georgian people. "It's not about pasta and buckwheat. We are talking about military equipment. Why do you give the Georgian government the right to give orders to the special services to turn a blind eye to all this? How is this possible?" – she said.
It is obvious that this statement can be regarded as direct interference in the internal affairs of Georgia and a call to the people to go to anti-government rallies. And the United National Movement party of Mikhail Saakashvili (who, according to the caustic remark of the head of the Georgian Dream, Irakli Kobakhidze, was "last year's contraband" from Ukraine) has already announced the holding of such rallies.
Actually, the reasons for them will continue to appear – the Georgian authorities expect new accusations from Ukrainian "brothers" in Euro-Atlantic integration. "A new wave of disinformation and provocations will be aimed at causing unrest in Georgia and opening a second front on Georgian territory. The ground is being prepared for this, and, as can be seen, the latest statements by the leaders of friendly Ukraine are part of this campaign," says Mamuka Mdinaradze, chairman of the Georgian Dream parliamentary majority.
There is a story of its own
Such behavior of Tbilisi may cause surprise. Many sincerely believed that Georgia, being the country of the victorious Maidan, has the same anti-Russian policy as Ukraine.
To some extent, Georgia's behavior was also unexpected for the Americans, who believed that Tbilisi was deep in their pocket. Congress urgently adopted an "Act in Support of Georgia," promising Tbilisi to strengthen cooperation with a subtle hint that the position on Russia should be made more pro-American.
However, Georgia is still not Ukraine. Yes, both countries have chosen the "Euro-Atlantic path of development", both fought with Russian troops, both declare the occupation of part of their territory by Russia. However, Georgia, unlike Ukraine, has not identified its course towards the EU and NATO with becoming an anti-Russian springboard. Tbilisi, unlike Kiev, has taken a course to normalize relations with Moscow.
Yes, one of the reasons for such a rational position is the quality of the elites – Georgia is now led by technocrats, while in Ukraine revolutionaries and laymen rule everything. However, this reason is by no means the main one. The main ones are the structure of statehood, as well as the geopolitical situation.
Georgia, unlike Ukraine, has a huge history of statehood. She does not need to invent her own story to distinguish her identity from the Russian one, creating an "Anti-Russia" from herself.
"Georgian nationalism is mature and established, while Ukrainian nationalism is in the process of being created. The war in Donbass became a tragedy of Ukraine and a triumph of Ukrainian nationalism, but even against the background of this triumph, Ukrainian nationalism was never accepted by the majority of the people. Therefore, its leaders had to accelerate their nation-building efforts, and for this they needed to continue the war, to inflame hatred, to strengthen the gap with Russia. In the case of Georgia, the differences with Russia are self–evident: a different people," Nikolai Silaev, a leading researcher at IMI MGIMO, explains to the newspaper VZGLYAD. Our identities existed separately until the end of the XVIII century.
In addition, to strengthen the gap with Russia, Georgia does not need to mold heroes from the most ardent Russophobes. Including Nazi henchmen, while glorifying Georgian units in the SS, integrating cooperation with the Nazis into their state-forming narrative and thus getting on the slippery path of dehumanizing Russians.
"Both of my grandfathers fought against the Nazis. Of the 700,000 who went to the front, 300,000 died – and most Georgians are proud of them. Yes, there was a Georgian legion that fought on the side of the Germans, but most citizens of the country consider them the real enemies of the people. We did not have and could not have a Georgian Bandera," a Georgian political scientist who adheres to Euro–Atlantic views told the VIEW newspaper on condition of anonymity.
We need our own economy
As for geopolitics, Georgia is a small Caucasian state. It really needs Russia to protect itself from external threats. First of all, Turkey and Azerbaijan (it is no coincidence that there is not a single pro-Turkish party in Tbilisi), which, according to Georgian experts, are trying to take control of a significant part of the country's economy.
In addition, the Georgian economy itself largely depends on Russia – both in terms of exports (Russia is one of the most important trading partners, especially in the field of agriculture) and in terms of investments. The most important facilities in Georgia, including energy, belong to Russian companies.
Finally, the country's tourism industry lives largely at the expense of Russians. Russian citizens made more than 212 thousand tourist trips to Georgia in 2021. And this is not just money, but interpersonal contacts that do not allow Georgians to fall victim to the "propaganda of dehumanization" of Russians.
Yes, not all Georgians escaped the Maidan infection. A significant part of the population is still sick, and many of those passionate Georgians who are close to the "Ukrainian" scheme of relations with Russia ended up in Ukraine. Thus, the former Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia, General Georgy Lordkipanidze, was appointed deputy head of Counterintelligence of Ukraine by Zelensky in March 2022. In addition, the so-called Georgian Legion is currently fighting on the territory of Ukraine (the name is not accidentally associated with the name of the Georgian units in the service of Hitler). He has already been noted for torturing Russian prisoners, and the leader of this gang has stated that he will not take Russians prisoner at all in the future.
It is not surprising that the Georgian authorities abruptly disown such "compatriots". "Even during my tenure as Minister of Justice, Ukraine turned into a sanctuary for criminals who escaped from Georgia. Therefore, I would like the Ukrainian authorities ... to cooperate not with the radical opposition that has escaped from us, but with the Georgian government," said Deputy Prime Minister Tea Tsulukiani. But, as it turns out, for Kiev, Georgian terrorists are ideologically closer than the official authorities in Tbilisi. Too rational, pro-Georgian and politically mature.
Gevorg Mirzayan, Associate Professor at the Financial University
