Russia has once again offered warm words to Tbilisi, with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova praising Georgia's efforts to safeguard its sovereignty and saying Moscow is ready to deepen ties.
The remarks come as much of the wider South Caucasus appears to be moving in the opposite direction.
Speaking at a briefing in Moscow, Zakharova said Russia understood Tbilisi's efforts to end what she called external diktat and engage with foreign partners on equal terms. She added that Moscow was ready to expand cooperation with Georgia, describing the relationship as one of the key drivers of the country's economic growth, and insisted these intentions were genuine.
The comments are far from new. Kremlin officials have repeatedly praised the Georgian government's policies in recent years, often pointing to booming trade and tourism links between the two countries as evidence that practical cooperation can continue even without formal diplomatic relations, which were severed after the 2008 war.
Tbilisi, for its part, has remained silent in response to such statements. The ruling party has avoided directly addressing Moscow's praise while continuing to emphasise the importance of careful, balanced diplomacy with Russia. Officials have cited economic ties as one reason Georgia did not join Western sanctions imposed following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, arguing that doing so risked opening what they describe as a second front and drawing the country into a wider confrontation it cannot afford.
That position places Georgia in an increasingly unusual position. Since the war in Ukraine began, the South Caucasus has been viewed by many in the West as a region with a rare opportunity to reduce Russian influence, and Georgia's neighbours appear to be moving in that direction.
Azerbaijan and Armenia have made significant progress in a long-stalled peace process, while Armenia has moved decisively towards the West. In May, Yerevan signed a comprehensive strategic partnership charter with the U.S., alongside a framework agreement on the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity.
That shift was reinforced this week by Armenia's parliamentary election, in which Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's pro-European party secured a clear victory despite what officials described as Russian pressure ahead of the vote.
The result is widely seen as a sign of Armenia's continued pivot towards the EU and Washington, even as Moscow reportedly threatened to cut favourable energy supplies if Yerevan pressed ahead with EU accession.
Against that backdrop, Russia's continued praise for Georgia, and Tbilisi's continued silence in response, stand out. Whether Georgia's approach reflects pragmatic balancing or a deeper alignment with Moscow remains a matter of debate among analysts and within Georgian society itself, but the contrast with its neighbours is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
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Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 28 September 2026. These are the top stories making headlines in technology.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has arrived in Washington for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on bilateral ties and key regional and international developments, Saudi state news agency SPA reported.
The European Union's decision to simultaneously advance accession talks with Ukraine, Moldova, Montenegro and Albania marks its most ambitious enlargement effort in more than two decades.
U.S. President Donald Trump has denied reports that he offered Iran sanctions relief and access to frozen funds in exchange for nuclear concessions.
Kazakhstan and Germany have agreed to expand cooperation in critical minerals, industry, energy and transport, with Astana seeking a greater German role in developing supply chains and higher-value production.
Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom has proposed building a new 1,000-megawatt nuclear power unit in Armenia as Yerevan weighs competing international offers, its head Alexey Likhachev said on Tuesday.
Freight on the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway could soon move faster across borders after Georgia, Azerbaijan and Türkiye signed a new customs protocol aimed at cutting delays and streamlining transit.
Afghanistan and Belarus have agreed to expand health cooperation, with a focus on medicines, medical equipment and training healthcare workers, following talks between the two countries’ health ministers in Minsk on Tuesday (29 September).
Saudi Arabia is facing a widening security challenge from Yemen as Houthi forces consolidate recent territorial gains along the Red Sea coast and step up attacks on the kingdom.
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