The Daily Beat: 15 May civil.ge - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from civil.ge Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Russia’s surprise move to restore visa-free access for Georgian citizens and direct flights between the two countries signals a continued warming of relations between Tbilisi and Moscow, potentially at the cost of Georgia’s integration with the West, analysts and Russian government officials told The Moscow Times. Some observers have described the decision as a “gift” from the Kremlin to an obsequious Georgian government, especially as Tbilisi has sought to maintain a neutral stance toward the war in Ukraine over the past year. “This includes the delicacy of public statements to the Kremlin, non-adherence to anti-Russian sanctions, refusal to supply arms to Kyiv and a number of other things," a source close to the Russian government told The Moscow Times on condition of anonymity. “It seems to me that this is a pat on the back from our side.