Zelenskyy Criticizes Georgian Elections Amid Rising Russian Influence
On October 30, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed disappointment over the outcome of Georgia’s recent parliamentary elections, where the ruling Georgian Dream party emerged victorious.
Zelenskyy remarked, “As of today, Russia has won in Georgia,” attributing the political shift to increasing Russian influence. He argued that "first the Russians took away part of Georgia, then they changed policy, changed the government,” ultimately leading to “a pro-Russian government, pro-Russian positions” in Georgia.
The Ukrainian president criticized Georgia's refusal to impose sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin and highlighted the significant Russian presence in the country, noting that Georgia’s stance favors “friendship with Russia” over pursuing a pro-European Union path.
Drawing a contrast between Ukraine and Georgia, Zelenskyy emphasized Ukraine’s larger population and firm stance against Russian influence: “We are bigger. That is the difference between us and Georgia – we are much bigger. We have a larger population, more men who didn’t want to be Russian.”