Georgia, a small nation straddling the line between Europe and Asia, has long found itself caught between competing geopolitical forces. Almost a year ago, the European Commission granted Georgia candidate status for EU membership, marking a significant milestone in its foreign policy. However, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze recently announced that negotiations for EU membership would not commence until 2028. This delay has provoked political unrest in Tbilisi, raising critical questions about Georgia’s path toward the EU, the implications for its internal stability, and the broader regional impacts-including its evolving relationship with the Middle East.

Georgia’s pursuit of EU membership reflects its broader aspirations for Western integration. Since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, the country has consistently emphasized closer ties with European institutions. The 2008 war with Russia underscored Georgia’s vulnerability, as Moscow’s recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent territories left the nation grappling with ongoing territorial disputes.

More recently, the outbreak of the Ukraine war has intensified the geopolitical pressures on Georgia, as the country finds itself navigating between its Western aspirations and the influence of a resurgent Russia. Although Georgia symbolically supported Ukraine in international forums like the UN, it stopped short of imposing economic sanctions on Moscow. This nuanced stance has drawn criticism from both domestic opposition and Western partners, who perceive it as evidence of a pro-Moscow tilt by the Georgian Dream government.

In October 2023, the European Commission issued a damning assessment of Georgia’s readiness for EU membership talks. The report cited issues such as the need for electoral reform, judicial independence, and the repeal of legislation requiring organizations receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as foreign agents. Such policies, described as fostering “anti-EU........

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