President Zourabichvili: ‘If Russia sees its strategy succeed in Georgia, it will proceed with EU countries’

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili has warned that Russia’s tactics to influence democratic nations through elections could extend beyond Georgia to European Union countries if unchecked.

Speaking about the ongoing political crisis in Georgia, Zourabichvili highlighted the existential stakes for her country, where citizens are protesting against what they see as Russian interference.

“We do not want to become another Belarus, and that is why citizens are in the streets. This is not a political issue—it is existential,” she stated, adding that Russia is leveraging elections as a tool to control democratic nations with ties to the West.

The president criticized the lack of independent institutions in Georgia, aside from the presidency, and urged Georgia’s democratic partners to recognize the gravity of the situation. “International observers cannot make political decisions. It is up to governments to decide whether they recognize elections as legitimate or illegitimate,” she said.

Zourabichvili stressed the broader implications of Russia’s influence, warning, “If Russia sees its strategy succeed in Georgia, I promise you they will push even harder in EU countries next.”

The president also addressed the possibility of Kavlelashvili becoming president on December 29, emphasizing that while such an outcome would not signify Russia’s victory, the fight for Georgia’s democratic integrity would be far from over.