There is countless evidence of the “Georgian Dream” party’s subservience to Russian power, ranging from the abandonment of the bid to join the European Union to the array of repressive laws that stifle all democratic life. These facts are well-known, documented, and, unfortunately, leave no doubt about Georgia’s alignment with Russia.
There is another body of evidence, which has begun to emerge in recent months, and which the European Union is investigating thoroughly. It concerns the way in which Georgian authorities are circumventing international sanctions against Russia.
One specific incident, dating back to March, illustrates the extent of this alignment. The authorities in the Donetsk region—which has been annexed and is administered by Russia—announced the signing of an agreement with a Georgian company for the export of coal, chemicals, and metals. Andrei Tcherkov, head of the Donetsk “government,” welcomed “this first concrete step toward establishing full-fledged trade relations with Georgia” (Le Monde, April 3, 2026)9
Valerian Koshiashvili, photo from social media
The Georgian businessman who signed this agreement with the occupying government in Donetsk is named Valerian Koshiashvili. He stated: “… and I, for one, would like to restore good relations with Russia. After all, they are our neighbors… ” (Le Monde, ibid.). There has been no official comment from Georgian Dream regarding these statements or this agreement.
Other incidents of a similar nature have been observed and have placed Tbilisi under increased scrutiny from Brussels.
An illegal trafficking operation involving Russian crude oil, passing through the Koulevi10 terminal, has been uncovered. Four Russian tankers (carrying 265,000 metric tons of crude) were identified as part of a re- export scheme.
Falsifying the final destination of goods appears to be a common practice. A recent OLAF11 study12 of 760 vehicles identified Georgia as one of the countries that declare a false final destination, with these vehicles actually ending up in Russia.
Tens of thousands of Russian-owned companies have been registered since 2022. This can only facilitate transactions, payments, and re-exports. The European Parliament has, once again, expressed concerns about this situation.
According to Sandro Kevhishvili of Transparency International, who was interviewed on this subject by the daily newspaper Le Monde, Georgia “clearly remains a corridor for circumventing sanctions, through which goods for both civilian and military use—such as electronic components—are transported to Russia.”
Sources available for review
EU Considers Sanctions on Georgia’s Kulevi Port Over Russian Oil Links (OCCRP)
EU sanctions Georgia’s Kulevi refinery for processing Russian oil (OC Media)
Fact/reporting roundup — Russian oil cargo to Georgia / sanctions-evasion coverage (OilPrice summary)
Background reporting on Georgia, sanctions and EU scrutiny (Civil.Ge)
JamNews — reporting on EU decisions regarding Kulevi (context and updates)
