Georgians back Ukraine, but their government is more hesitant
The memory of Russian aggression drives both responses
IF ANYONE FEELS Ukrainians’ pain, it is Georgians. In 2008 Russia invaded Georgia and garrisoned the self-declared statelets of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, leaving a fifth of Georgia’s territory under de facto Russian occupation. When Russia invaded Ukraine in February thousands of Georgians marched in solidarity. Many worry that Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, may target them again to compensate for his failed invasion—or “to continue the expansion started in Ukraine, depending on the outcome of the war”, warns Salome Zourabichvili, Georgia’s president.
This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “Finger in the wind”
Europe April 23rd 2022
- Fighting has intensified in the Donbas region
- Why Olaf Scholz hesitates to send Ukraine heavy weapons
- Georgians back Ukraine, but their government is more hesitant
- Protests and politics will dominate this year’s Biennale
- Emmanuel Macron remains the strong favourite to win France’s presidency
- Tariffs on Russian energy are a smart way to hobble Vladimir Putin
From the April 23rd 2022 edition
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Ursula von der Leyen has a new doctrine for handling the hard right
The boss of the European Commission embarks on a second term
Marine Le Pen spooks the bond markets
She threatens to bring down the French government, but also faces a possible ban from politics
The maths of Europe’s military black hole
It needs to spend to defend, but voters may balk
Ukraine’s warriors brace for a Kremlin surge in the south
Vladimir Putin’s war machine is pushing harder and crushing Ukrainian morale
Vladimir Putin fires a new missile to amplify his nuclear threats
The attack on Ukraine is part of a new era of missile warfare
A rise in antisemitism puts Europe’s liberal values to the test
The return of Europe’s oldest scourge