Zelenskyy calls on EU to pressure “Russian-controlled mafia” in Georgia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged the European Union to increase pressure on Georgia’s pro-Russian government, reports European Pravda.

Speaking at a European Council meeting in Brussels on Thursday, Zelenskyy emphasized that all democratic European nations, including Ukraine, Moldova, and Balkan states, must be integrated into EU and NATO structures.

“Unfortunately, the Russian-controlled mafia in Georgia is working to pull the country under Putin’s influence and away from its European path. The current government in Tbilisi is rejecting cooperation with the EU,” Zelenskyy stated.

The Ukrainian president called on European leaders to apply targeted pressure on Georgian oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili and his associates, saying, “We must not allow them to profit from Georgia’s stolen European future and the decades of progress that have been lost.”

Zelenskyy warned against the consequences of division within Europe: “We cannot afford to lose any country in our Europe. The fall of one will bring us all closer to division and conflict.”

He also highlighted the importance of supporting Moldova’s European aspirations, urging the EU to empower the country in its fight against poverty.

The statement comes as mass protests continue in Georgia since November 28, following the ruling Georgian Dream party’s decision to halt EU integration efforts until 2029. Protesters, as well as journalists covering the demonstrations in Tbilisi, have faced violence from both law enforcement and government-backed groups.

Earlier, Zelenskyy criticized the West for its insufficient response to the situation in Georgia and Russia’s attempts to tighten its grip on the country. In early December, Ukraine imposed sanctions on Ivanishvili and several other Georgian officials.