EU sanctions envoy on two-day visit to Georgia to “open direct communication channels”

David O’Sullivan, the International Special Envoy for the Implementation of EU Sanctions, will visit Georgia on Monday “to open a direct communication channel and establish a dialogue based on future cooperation”, the bloc said. 

 

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the EU has imposed 11 packages of sanctions against Moscow. Tbilisi said it had joined all international sanctions against Moscow, but refused to impose individual sanctions on Russia considering “severe economic consequences” for the country. 

 

The EU said the visiting official on Monday and Tuesday would discuss the sanctions and their effective implementation. 

 

The bloc noted the Georgian authorities had expressed “great readiness” for cooperation. 

 

Kyiv has several times accused Tbilisi of ensuring aid to Russia’s evading the sanctions. However, no evidence has been presented so far, with the Georgian authorities counter accusing the Ukrainian authorities of raising “groundless allegations”.