Georgian Parliament official: opposition demands to send volunteers to Ukraine and impose sanctions on Russia posed threat to Georgia

Archil Gorduladze, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs, on Wednesday recalled the period following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022 and the opposition’s demands at the time, saying that allowing volunteers to travel to Ukraine on a chartered flight and imposing financial sanctions on Russia would have had catastrophic consequences for Georgia.

Speaking at a hearing of the Constitutional Court, Gorduladze also referred to statements made by the United States and the United Kingdom, whose leaders had urged their citizens not to participate in the conflict, warning that doing so would be perceived as taking sides.

“The main demands were voiced during rallies attended by representatives of various political parties, who expressed their support for these calls. This practice continues to this day. In 2022, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the rallies centred on two specific demands. The first was for the Georgian Government to facilitate travel by chartered flights and officially authorise volunteers wishing to join the conflict directly. The second was for Georgia to impose financial sanctions on Russia. At the same time, it is important to recall the statements made abroad. The then US President and the then British Prime Minister explicitly and clearly urged their own citizens not to participate in the conflict in any capacity, warning that doing so would be perceived as taking sides”, Gorduladze said.

“Regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, if the deployment of volunteers on a chartered flight, with the Georgian Government’s consent, would have been interpreted as direct involvement had it been undertaken by the United Kingdom or the United States, then the same would naturally have applied to Georgia. This was particularly significant given that 20% of our country’s territory is occupied by Russia. Sending volunteers with the Government’s official approval would have created precisely this risk, as such a decision carries a clear political dimension. By sending its citizens to fight in a particular conflict, the Government would effectively position the country as a direct party to it. This would, of course, pose a threat to our territorial integrity, especially given that an occupying force and numerous military bases are stationed just a few dozen kilometres from our capital”, he continued.

The official also argued that imposing sanctions on Russia would have caused Georgia’s economy to contract by approximately 11% while providing Moscow with a pretext for provocations against the country.

Gorduladze warned that the threat could again become a reality if similar demands were made in the future.

“As for financial sanctions, their imposition by the Georgian state would not have been merely an economic decision, but a political one as well. Moreover, given the presence of an occupying force on our territory, taking such a political step in response to Russia’s invasion would have carried additional implications. On the one hand, there was the economic dimension, which would have resulted in an approximately 11% contraction of our economy. On the other, it would have created a political pretext, giving the occupying force a direct opportunity to provoke Georgia and potentially make our country a target of another invasion. Regrettably, had it not been for the responsible decision taken by the Government, this danger could have materialised”, he added.

“This was not merely a hypothetical threat. A direct threat had existed since March 2022. It is also worth recalling that Ukraine’s then-President decided to recall his ambassador precisely because the Georgian Government had refused to send volunteers, impose economic sanctions on Russia or, most importantly, provide military equipment to Ukraine for use against Russia. Once again, all these factors created a threat to our country’s territorial integrity, and such a threat would persist if this position were maintained. This is by no means hypothetical. Given that 20% of our national territory remains under occupation, the threat is real”, Gorduladze concluded.