Europe’s patience with Georgia is wearing thin. Brussels has put Tbilisi on notice that its visa-free regime could be suspended. Oil sanctions are in the offing, too. The moves follow concerns that Georgia’s government has crept too far towards Moscow for mere words.
The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned in a letter to Georgian opposition figures that reforms were faltering. She recalled that the Council of the EU had already partially suspended simplified visa procedures for holders of diplomatic and service passports.
Ms von der Leyen added that further measures were under discussion. “While consensus on sanctions between member states has not yet been reached, negotiations on sanctions against individuals responsible for retreating from democracy and human rights violations are ongoing.”
Oil terminal in the crosshairs
The warning came as Tbilisi announced plans to dissolve two watchdog bodies set up at the EU’s recommendation. The Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Personal Data Protection Service are to wind down nex Monday. Georgia’s November enlargement assessment was scathing. Enlargement Commissioner Martha Kos concluded that “Georgia remained an EU candidate country in name only.”
Beyond democracy concerns, Brussels has eyed Georgia’s energy infrastructure. The draft of the EU’s 20th sanctions package against Russia proposes targeting the Black Sea oil terminal at Kulevi. “The Georgian government is facing a new and potentially serious challenge, as the European Union considers sanctions that could, for the first time, target a key piece of the country’s energy infrastructure.”
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Owned by Azerbaijan’s SOCAR, Kulevi handled growing volumes after a nearby refinery opened at the end of 2025. Reuters and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported that Russian crude had started arriving via “irregular and high-risk schemes”. EU diplomats are worried that the port has become a back-door for Moscow to evade sanctions on its oil exports.
Political fallout
If Kulevi makes the blacklist, the terminal would not close. But European firms would face steep barriers to finance and cooperation. That would shift the economics of Georgia’s energy trade. Tbilisi fears a blow to growth at a time when its government is already under pressure.
Tbilisi has rejected the allegations. The Georgian Dream administration insists it has kept its word to Brussels. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze told reporters that “Georgia strictly complies with all rules related to the sanctions regime – that is my position.” Mr Kobakhidze said Tbilisi stood ready to share data and to cooperate on inspections.
Georgia remains an EU candidate country in name only. — Martha Kos, EU enlargement commissioner
Local investigators have reported that ships linked to Russia’s “shadow fleet” entered Georgian waters. The tanker Silvari unloaded some 32,000 tonnes in January. Tbilisi’s Maritime Transport Agency denied that any sanctioned vessels had been received and asserted that inspections showed no breaches.
A narrowing window
Georgia’s spat with the EU has a parallel in London. The British ambassador was summoned after the UK blacklisted two pro-government broadcasters. Tbilisi denounced the move as cynical and accused London of using sanctions to score points against Russia. The row underscored a widening rift with Western partners.
Democracy advocates point to deeper shifts in Tbilisi’s power structures. A report by the Free Russia Foundation warns that “Georgia has undergone a profound authoritarian transformation over the past decade, steadily aligning its political, economic, and security institutions with Kremlin interests through subtle state capture rather than overt military intervention.”
Civil society, the report adds, remains a bulwark. “The window for reversal remains open, the report stresses, but it is narrowing.” Brussels and Washington must decide whether tougher measures will re-energise reforms or drive Georgia further into Russia’s orbit.
On the fence
The EU faces an uncomfortable choice: uphold its standards or accommodate a strategic backslide. Suspending visa-free travel would deliver a symbolic blow to a country that prizes EU integration. Sanctions on Kulevi would carry bigger costs, perhaps bolstering Moscow’s influence over Georgia’s fragile economy.
Georgians say they still aspire to join the EU. Yet their government’s tactics have tested that ambition. Brussels must now judge whether threats alone can bring Tbilisi back or if tougher action is needed to defend Europe’s eastern flank.
