TBILISI, August 6. /TASS/. European politicians along with representatives of Georgia's opposition United National Movement party wanted official Tbilisi to impose sanctions on Russia and send mercenaries to Ukraine, Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili told reporters.

"The United National Movement party and the opposition told us that we should impose sanctions, while Georgian Dream (the ruling party - TASS) said no, because it would be tantamount to dragging the country into war. Along with the United National Movement, foreigners also told us that we should impose sanctions, send mercenaries [to Ukraine], and so on. We've heard this from the Europeans in particular," he said.

On February 25, 2022, then-Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said that he did not intend to introduce sanctions against Russia, saying that it was not in Georgia’s national interests. At the same time, the Georgian authorities have repeatedly said that the country will not allow itself to be used to circumvent sanctions. The Georgian Finance Ministry has set up a special group to monitor sanctioned goods and individuals.