UK Urges Georgia to Cut Reliance on Russian Oil After New Sanctions
By Liza Mchedlidze
Monday, December 22, 2025
The United Kingdom has urged Georgia to curb its growing dependence on Russian oil and to tighten controls against imports linked to Russia's so-called shadow fleet, following new sanctions imposed on a Russian oil producer that recently supplied fuel to a Georgian refinery.
On December 18, London announced an expanded package of sanctions targeting Russian energy revenues that it says are critical to financing the war against Ukraine. Among the newly sanctioned entities is Russneft, a Russian oil company that delivered a shipment to Georgia's Kulevi refinery earlier this autumn.
In a statement released on December 19, the British Embassy in Tbilisi called on Georgia to take stronger action to block oil imports connected to sanction-evasion networks.
"We call on all our partners, including Georgia, to strengthen efforts to prevent imports from the Russian shadow fleet, which not only seeks to evade sanctions but also ignores safety and environmental standards, posing serious risks to maritime security," the embassy said.
The statement also raised concerns about Georgia's increasing reliance on Russian oil since 2022. "We hope that Georgia can protect its energy security by reducing its growing reliance on Russian oil and by reducing the flow of revenue to Russia's war machine," it said.
According to the UK government, the latest sanctions are intended to disrupt illicit oil trading by targeting additional producers and the networks that facilitate Russian oil exports outside established restrictions.
The issue gained attention in October when Reuters reported that Russneft had supplied the first oil cargo to the newly built Kulevi refinery on Georgia's Black Sea coast. Although Georgian authorities said at the time that the shipment complied with international sanctions, the delivery raised concerns among observers that Georgia could become a transit point for re-exports of Russian oil.
Shortly after the report, the vessel involved in the delivery was added to the European Union's sanctions list targeting tankers associated with Russia's shadow fleet.
In its statement, the British Embassy also noted Georgia's recent decision to sign the convention establishing the International Claims Commission for Ukraine, part of an international mechanism aimed at compensation for damages caused by Russia's invasion.
"Georgia was also one of the signatories of the Convention, continuing its approach of supporting Ukraine in multinational fora, condemning Russia's aggression, and holding Russia accountable for its violations of human rights," the embassy said.
