At a press conference on January 23, Georgia's Finance Minister Lasha Khutsishvili asserted that his country is a pioneer in applying international sanctions against Russia.

He said that the Georgian government and National Bank strictly regulate the financial and commerce sectors and work closely with their counterparts in the United States and Europe. The minister emphasized, "We communicate information on a daily basis." Khutsishvili said that the administration maintains daily contact with the organizations and institutions in the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and other nations that manage the situation.

When a journalist questioned why there are doubts about Georgia's potential compliance with the sanctions system, the minister stated that there is no proof to back up such claims and that they are just empty words.

Lasha Khutsishvili stated that since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, more than 1,000 operations have been delayed and canceled by the customs body because they are involved in the risks of sanction violation. She added that all customs operations are under the strictest control concerning those goods and persons on the sanctions list.