Ukraine sanctions Georgian officials over violent crackdown on pro-EU protests
Sanctions target "the part of the Georgian government that is surrendering Georgia to Putin,” Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said.
KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy approved sanctions against Georgian officials for the ruling party’s violent crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Tbilisi.
The punitive action hits Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, who is chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party, and 17 other officials and businessmen, the government in Kyiv said on Thursday.
“These sanctions target the part of the Georgian government that is surrendering Georgia to Putin,” Zelenskyy said in a video statement.
“We must not lose anyone in this region — neither Georgia, nor Moldova, nor Ukraine. We must stand united in defending ourselves against Moscow,” he said.
The sanctions also target State Security Service head Grigol Liluashvili and Tbilisi `Mayor Kakha Khaladze, a former Dynamo Kyiv football player. Several lawmakers and businessmen affiliated with Georgian Dream party were sanctioned, too.
All those sanctioned face blocks on personal assets, travel bans and other limitations on the territory of Ukraine for their participation in the violent disbursement of anti-government protests in Georgia after the government halted the country’s pro-European course.
“Georgian people have the right to a European future. I hope that the partners will support the initiative with sanctions against those who sold their people,” said Vladyslav Vlasiuk, Ukraine’s sanctions commissioner.
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania imposed similar sanctions on Georgian officials on Monday.
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