Pressure to withdraw Russian troops comes from Europe, not Georgia, expert

A Georgian expert has said that pressure on Russia to withdraw its troops from occupied territories “comes from Europe,” and not from the Georgian government itself.

Speaking on the diplomatic debate about proposals in a European Union working document on Tuesday  - drafted under the leadership of Kaja Kallas - expert Kakha Gogolashvili said Georgia was not actively demanding Russia pull back its forces.

“Our side does not have protest, demand, or pressure on Russia to withdraw its troops,” Gogolashvili said. “But this pressure comes from Europe, as we can see, which is very important.”

He described the push as originating largely from Nordic countries and framed around discussions of Russia-Ukraine negotiations.

Gogolashvili further noted that countries such as France and Germany had taken a more cautious stance, arguing that a ceasefire and a settlement between Russia and Ukraine should come first, before addressing wider regional issues, including Georgia’s occupied regions.

The remarks follow circulation within EU capitals of a working document that includes language about the withdrawal of Russian military forces from internationally recognised Georgian territory as part of broader diplomatic conditions.

Gogolashvili said the issue has been discussed in European policy circles for some time, but “now this topic is more active.”