In an interview with Voice of America, John Herbst, Director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center, expressed concern about the current state of US-Georgia relations, stating they have been “steadily deteriorating in the wrong direction” under the Georgian Dream government.
Herbst criticized the Georgian government for increasing repression and making “clear, unfriendly statements” about Western and, particularly, US foreign policy. He also pointed to Georgia’s apparent alignment with Moscow’s demands as a troubling trend.
“Our relations are likely at the lowest point they’ve been since the early 1990s. This is both surprising and deeply unfortunate,” Herbst said.
He believes that the international community was slow to respond to electoral irregularities during last year’s parliamentary elections and the subsequent repressive policies by the Georgian Dream government.
“The violations in the elections should have been condemned in much stronger terms. Instead of waiting for the repression that followed, sanctions should have been imposed immediately. While Bidzina Ivanishvili was sanctioned, others like Irakli Kobakhidze—who is clearly a junior partner in these negative actions—were not,” Herbst stated.
Herbst also commented on Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili’s visit to the U.S. and her invitation to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, noting that no Georgian Dream officials were invited.
“The incoming administration, like the outgoing one, understands that the Georgian Dream government is discredited,” he said, adding that reliance on private conversations with Georgian officials to encourage the right steps has proven ineffective.
Herbst argued that stricter sanctions might have prevented the worsening situation, emphasizing the need for action against key figures within the Georgian government.
“Ivanishvili cannot operate without his key ‘lieutenants.’ The failure to impose sanctions on Kobakhidze, who is a primary enforcer of repression, is a major flaw in US policy. This also applies to other officials—ministers and deputy ministers—who have been involved in repression and election fraud. They must face sanctions as well,” Herbst added.
He expressed concern that Georgia is gradually shifting back into Russia’s sphere of influence.
“Since the Rose Revolution, Georgia steadily moved away from Moscow and toward the West. This dynamic persisted during the first few years of Ivanishvili’s era. However, now Georgia is slowly but noticeably returning to Moscow’s orbit,” Herbst concluded.
