Mamuka Khazaradze, one of the leaders of Strong Georgia, stated that if his party comes to power, they will restore relations with the United States and the European Union while also initiating negotiations with Russia—though not alone at the negotiation table.
Speaking on TV Pirveli on February 14, Khazaradze emphasized the importance of having a regional ally to ensure that Russia does not dominate negotiations.
“Azerbaijan has Turkey as a regional ally. Who is our regional ally? When new elections come, who will stand by us at the negotiation table so that Russia does not oppress us? Putin tried to make a deal with Trump, saying he didn’t need Ukraine and wanted to settle things with Georgia. Europe is outraged, but hopefully, things will become clearer soon. Who will we turn to and say, ‘Stand by us, we need a mediator to talk to Russia?’ Because Russia is our neighbor, and I want a normal relationship—I don’t want war—but I also don’t want to be swallowed up. I don’t want 20% [of occupied territory] to turn into 80%,” Khazaradze said.
He outlined his priorities if his party takes power:
* Restoring strategic partnerships with the US and resuming negotiations with the EU to secure financial aid and strengthen the country’s economy.
* Ensuring economic security for citizens so they can earn a stable income and invest in small businesses.
* Negotiating with Russia, but only with strong allies at the table, as Georgia is a small country that cannot face Russia alone.
Khazaradze criticized the current Georgian Dream government, accusing Bidzina Ivanishvili of weakening the country’s institutions, including the police, military, and security systems.
“We urgently need to restore our long-established ties with Europe, attract investments, rebuild strategic partnerships, and strengthen our military so that Russia sees we are not a weak nation. We must launch projects that benefit the region, rather than expelling the US and welcoming Russia instead,” he said.
Khazaradze emphasized that Georgia must find a balance in its foreign relations but firmly rejected the current government’s approach, which he called “capitulation to Russia.”
“I know Russia well—I have friends there and deeply understand Russian culture. But this so-called ‘shared faith’ they use as a pretext to embrace and then suffocate us, to kill our people, destroy our identity, and then look down on us with cynicism—we will never accept that. If you want to accept it, that is Bidzina’s path. I am telling you, we must take a different path,” Khazaradze concluded.
