EU blackmailing Georgia after refusal to join conflict against Russia, says Kobakhidze

The European Union has reportedly begun pressuring Georgia following its 2022 decision not to join the military conflict against Russia, RIA Novosti writes, referring to Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze.

“In 2022, we refused to go to war, and after that, an unprecedented form of blackmail began. Initially, we were denied candidate status without any justification, even though it was later repeatedly acknowledged that Georgia was leading among all candidate countries,” Kobakhidze told reporters.

He had previously stated that EU member states and Ukrainian officials had urged Georgia to open a “second front” against Russia in 2022.