Some members of the Ukraine Georgia government impose sanctions on Ivanishvili

KYIV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday that he had imposed sanctions on the former prime minister of Georgia. Bidzina Ivanishvili and some members GeorgiaGovernment of
Tensions are rising between Georgia’s ruling party and opponents who say the South Caucasus country is increasingly adopting authoritarian, anti-Western and pro-Russian policies.
Zelenskiy imposed sanctions on 19 individuals, including the head of Georgia’s state security service and the interior minister.
“These are sanctions against the part of the government in Georgia that is handing over Georgia to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin,” said Zelensky, whose country was invaded by Russia in February 2022.
Ivanishvili, the billionaire founder of Governing Georgian Dream PartyWidely seen as the most influential figure in Georgian politics.
Tensions in Georgia have spilled over into clashes between protesters and police as the governing party said it was suspending talks on the former Soviet republic of about 3.7 million people joining the European Union.
Zelensky accused those on whom he had imposed sanctions of “selling out the interests of Georgia and its people” and called on Ukraine’s European partners and the United States to act.
“This is how it works in international affairs: if you don’t respond in time or fail to respond with principle, decades are lost, and countries are stripped of their independence,” Zelenskiy added.
There was no immediate response to the allegations from those on whom the sanctions were imposed.
The 10-year sanctions include restrictions on financial operations, entry into Ukraine, and property rights in Ukraine.