Zelensky slaps sanctions on senior Georgian officials, including PM

Under the document, 19 individuals have been blacklisted, including founder of the Georgian Dream party Bidzina Ivanishvili, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, State Security Service chief Grigol Liluashvili

Vladimir Zelensky has announced the signing of a decree imposing Ukrainian sanctions on senior Georgian officials.

"I have just signed a decree that gives effect to the National Security and Defense Council's decision on sanctions. These sanctions target part of the Georgian government," Zelensky wrote on Telegram. The decree has been published on his website.

Under the document, 19 individuals have been blacklisted, including founder of the Georgian Dream party Bidzina Ivanishvili, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, State Security Service chief Grigol Liluashvili, Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri and Tbilisi City Mayor Kakha Kaladze, as well as a number of judges and parliament members.

A new wave of protests broke out in Georgia on November 28, sparked by Kobakhidze’s statement that the ruling party had decided to postpone any talk about launching EU accession negotiations until late 2028 and decline any funding from the European Union. According to the premier, the decision comes after repeated attempts by the EU to blackmail Georgia with promises of launching the talks in exchange for Tbilisi revoking certain laws passed by the country’s parliament and calls for sanctions on the Georgian authorities.