Georgia’s current leadership consists of pragmatists who, despite their commitment to joining the European Union, understand the potential consequences of such a step for the country’s economy, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated. Speaking to Russian media, the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry (MID) noted that while Georgia continues to reaffirm its aspiration for European integration, in his view, EU membership could negatively impact the country’s agricultural sector.
“Any agrarian country that joined the European Union during the second or third wave of expansion lost its agriculture, because the EU has leading states with their own interests and their own farmers,” Lavrov said.
According to the minister, Russia and other CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries currently account for about 70% of Georgia’s foreign trade turnover. Trade with China and several other nations also plays a significant role.
Lavrov believes that if Georgia joins the European Union, existing economic ties could be threatened due to the demands Brussels imposes on new members of the bloc. In particular, he mentioned the requirement to join anti-Russian sanctions and support the EU’s foreign policy decisions.
The Russian Foreign Minister also noted that relations between Moscow and Tbilisi continue to develop.
