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Blinken and France cite 'democratic backsliding' in Georgia; U.S. sanctions and aid suspension noted
Summary
U.S. and French officials said they were acting in response to democratic backsliding in Georgia, citing sanctions on Georgian Dream leader and suspension of U.S. assistance to the Georgian government while invoking OSCE mechanisms.
U.S. and French officials said they view recent developments in Georgia as evidence of democratic backsliding and described coordinated diplomatic and punitive steps taken with partners.
Secretary Blinken said the United States, the European Union and other partners had sanctioned the leader of the Georgian Dream party, Bidzina Ivanishvili, and had suspended American assistance to the Georgian government. He said partners had invoked the Vienna mechanism within the Organization for Security and Co‑operation in Europe (OSCE) to raise concerns about legislation and actions that, in officials’ view, “profoundly squeeze the space for freedom of expression and freedom of action by civil society.”
Blinken said the measures were intended to signal unified concern and to prompt a change in course by Georgian authorities. “That has to change,” he said, adding that the U.S. and France see “a clear unity of purpose” with other partners in response to the Georgian government’s actions.
Officials did not provide a timeline for restoring assistance or reversing sanctions. They said they had coordinated with European partners and that further steps would depend on progress in Georgia.
