It hasn’t been easy. In 2024, the Russian-aligned Georgian Dream party retained control of the country’s parliament following an election that independent observers said was marred by voter intimidation. Zourabichvili, who was elected in 2018 to Georgia’s presidency, has refused to recognize the election results and the subsequent appointment of Mikheil Kavelashvili as president.

Georgian politician Salome Zourabichvili has been among the vanguard pushing for the country to swing back toward its formerly Western direction and away from Russian and Chinese influence.

Georgian politician Salome Zourabichvili has been among the vanguard pushing for the country to swing back toward its formerly Western direction and away from Russian and Chinese influence.

It hasn’t been easy. In 2024, the Russian-aligned Georgian Dream party retained control of the country’s parliament following an election that independent observers said was marred by voter intimidation. Zourabichvili, who was elected in 2018 to Georgia’s presidency, has refused to recognize the election results and the subsequent appointment of Mikheil Kavelashvili as president.

After weathering mass protests, the government has upped the pressure by prosecuting Georgian opposition politicians and introducing new laws affecting free speech.

In response, the U.S. Congress has advanced a slate of sanctions against Georgian Dream officials—although the bipartisan bill has yet to pass due in part to opposition by Sen. Markwayne Mullin, the Hill reported.