Georgian FM for Financial Times: ‘Georgia seeks more western military support to counter Russia threat’

The Financial Times has released an interview with Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani, in which he says that  ‘western powers must step up military deterrence and investment to combat Russia’s growing strategic control of the pivotal Black Sea region.’ 

In the interview Zalkaliani urged “more attention and more engagement” from the US and European countries in the face of Moscow’s growing deployment of missiles and radar in territory whose ownership it disputes with Tbilisi. 

On Thursday, the UK and US accused Russia’s GRU intelligence agency of a cyber attack against Georgia in October last year that targeted government websites and media outlets. 

Speaking for the Financial Times before news of the cyber attack emerged, Zalkaliani said Russia was deploying the ‘most sophisticated’ military equipment and ammunition in the self-declared independent Abkhazia region, ‘which has increasingly aligned itself with the Kremlin since Moscow captured 20 per cent of Georgia’s territory in 2008’. 

It’s really important to diminish this military and political influence of the Russian Federation,” Zalkaliani said.”  

He stated that “strategically, this region is really very important’ and the lack of attention from the EU and other western partners will allow others to fill this gap.

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