US won’t ‘reset relations’ with Ivanishvili’s ‘Russian-linked' party, UNM opposition

The United National Movement (UNM) has accused the ruling Georgian Dream party of attempting to create a “false illusion” of improving relations with the Donald Trump administration in the United States.

In a statement to the media on Wednesday, Irakli Pavlenishvili, Deputy Secretary General of the UNM, said the ruling party was allegedly misleading the public by suggesting there was any prospect of a diplomatic reset with Washington.

“Georgian Dream wants to create the illusion that it can normalise relations with the Trump administration,” Pavlenishvili said. “In reality, the United States has no intention of resetting relations with a Russian hybrid instrument - [Bidzina] Ivanishvili’s Georgian Dream.”

He added that Washington’s position stemmed not only from fundamental value differences, but also from pragmatic considerations, as the Georgian government “repeats Kremlin-backed narratives that are anti-American and hostile to US strategic interests.”

He further claimed the narratives - which often allege that the US finances “destructive political activity” in Georgia - were part of a wider Russian disinformation campaign echoed by the ruling party both domestically and internationally.