The UK Ambassador to Georgia, Gareth Ward, has rejected claims by Georgian Dream authorities that Western nations were pressuring Tbilisi to become involved in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, calling these assertions “simply not true.” In a discussion at the Rondeli Foundation in Tbilisi on Monday, Ambassador Ward addressed rumors that Georgia was being asked to open a “second front” against Russia.
He explained that the British government’s requests were focused on enforcing sanctions, particularly banning the transit of sanctioned goods and preventing Russia from using Georgia as a route for battlefield supplies. “What we, the United Kingdom, have asked for is that Georgia not be used as a transit point for battlefield cargo,” Ward said.
The Ambassador also emphasized the importance of monitoring goods passing through Georgia to ensure that no illegal items, including those circumventing sanctions, were transported. He pointed out that Russia was attempting to use various trade and banking channels to bypass sanctions, a practice that could undermine Georgia’s reputation for having a transparent economy.
“We need to make sure Russia cannot undermine our banking systems for profit and continue its war.”
Ward’s remarks came in response to claims from the ruling Georgian Dream party, which has linked strained relations with Western allies to a conspiracy theory about a “second front” and the involvement of what it calls the “Global War Party” or “Deep State.”
The UK’s Foreign Secretary, David Lamm, is expected to announce a new sanctions package against Russia, described as the largest since the war’s onset, aiming to weaken Russia’s military and reduce the financial resources fueling the conflict in Ukraine.
