Prime Minister of Georgia Iraklii Garibashvili spoke against the EU's proposal to introduce sanctions against third countries that continue to do business with Moscow.
This is reported by Politico.
Garibashvili said that the suspension of trade between Georgia and Russia will not affect the Russian economy.
"What the EU trades with Russia in four days, we trade with Russia in a year," Garibashvili said in an interview with the Qatar Economic Forum.
"When it comes to economic sanctions... Georgia's trade with Russia is less than $1 billion. It's ridiculous, isn't it? This $1 billion cannot affect the Russian economy," the Georgian prime minister added.
Russia is Georgia's second largest trading partner. In 2022, trade between the two countries will reach $2.5 billion, according to preliminary data from the National Statistical Office of Georgia.
The former Soviet republic is one of the few countries in the Caucasus and Central Asia whose trade with Russia has soared since the West imposed sanctions against Moscow over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Georgia's trade with Russia has grown by nearly 22 percent in the year since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion, according to customs data from the Trade Data Monitor platform.
The EU is reportedly discussing an 11th round of sanctions against Russia, which could include unprecedented measures aimed at countries that continue to do business with Moscow, allowing it to circumvent sanctions.
It will be recalled that in May, Georgia, which did not support sanctions against the Russian Federation in connection with the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, resumed direct air traffic with Russia.
In addition, despite the assurances of the Georgian authorities, a Russian airline flying to the annexed Crimea received flight permits.
