The US Department of State on Thursday said many western countries, including it, had banned Russian aircrafts from entering their territories following the Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine last year, stressing if direct flights between Russia and Georgia were restored, “we are concerned the companies at Georgian airports may face the risk of sanctions for operating such aircrafts that are subjected to import and export control”.
In comments for Voice of America following the Kremlin’s announcement on Wednesday to lift the travel ban and visa regime with Georgia, the US body highlighted the entire western society had distanced itself from the Russian “criminal regime” since the launch of hostilities in Ukraine in February of last year.
It noted “instead of restoring direct flights or changing the visa regime, the Georgian people would probably prefer that Putin withdraw Russian troops from 20 percent of the [country’s] territory.”
