DISINFO: The West urges Georgia to open a second front against Russia
SUMMARY
The United States and NATO have not reconciled themselves to the loss of convenient anti-Russian footholds in the South Caucasus, following the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The alliance regularly acts within Georgia's territory in the form of international military maneuvers.
Despite close ties with the West, the Georgian leadership seeks to avoid an armed conflict with Russia – the opening of a "second Front of “Special Military Operation" in the Caucasus, which is being strongly urged by American "hegemons" and European overseers in Tbilisi.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Georgia in the context of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and Russia being the ultimate target of international events sparked by recent military exercises by NATO in Georgia.
Since the launch of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, pro-Kremlin media actively deployed a disinformation narrative that the US, the EU, or even Ukraine are dragging Georgia into the war with Russia in order to open a ‘second front’ against Moscow and to ease the situation for Kyiv on the Ukrainian front. The claim is groundless. The West is not interested in an escalation of the war. Neither the US nor the EU are pushing Georgia to open a second front against Moscow.
This story aims to portray Russia as a victim and deflect any responsibility for Moscow’s illicit actions and to blur and deflect attention away from the reality of Russia's unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine.
NATO is a defensive political and military alliance. The primary aim of the alliance is to maintain peace and safeguard the freedom, sovereignty and territorial integrity of its member states. Georgia hosted an “Agile Spirit 2023” multinational exercise for the eleventh time between August 20th and September 2nd 2023. Agile Spirit 23 is designed to support theatre security cooperation and interoperability among NATO Allies and partners to improve joint and multinational readiness capabilities.
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