Georgia
Turning Toward Moscow: Georgia's Political Crisis and the Future of European Integration – The Soufan Center
Intelbrief / Turning Toward Moscow: Georgia’s Political Crisis and the Future of European Integration
AP Photo/Zurab Tsertsvadze
Bottom Line Up Front
- Georgia is currently facing its largest political upheaval since gaining independence, as widespread protests have unfolded in response to the ruling Georgian Dream party’s decision to suspend European Union accession talks until 2028.
- In response to Georgia’s democratic decline under GD, the EU has frozen the country’s accession process and imposed sanctions on key officials, with similar actions taken by the U.S. and Baltic states.
- Russia has engaged in a strategy of hybrid warfare, utilizing disinformation campaigns to prop up the pro-Russia Georgian Dream party and regain its influence in the South Caucasus.
- Georgia’s overt transition away from the West could impact neighboring Armenia, which may face greater obstacles in its EU integration efforts and increase its vulnerability to pressures from Azerbaijan, Russia and Türkiye.
Georgia is currently facing its largest political upheaval since gaining independence, as widespread protests have erupted in response to the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party’s decision to suspend European Union (EU) accession talks until at least 2028. Irakli Kobakhidze, prime minister and leader of GD, announced the decision after the European Parliament passed a resolution on November 28 rejecting the outcome of Georgia’s October 2024 parliamentary elections, calling for a new election to be held within one year under international observance. It further called for the EU and its member states to impose sanctions on several Georgian high-ranking officials, including Kobakhidze, and oligarch and founder of the GD, Bidzina Ivanishvili.
The EU resolution follows a series of setbacks in Georgia’s EU integration process. In June, Brussels froze Georgia’s accession talks and rescinded €121 million in financial assistance, citing democratic backsliding incompatible with European values. GD leaders have rejected Brussels’ demands to repeal several Kremlin-style laws that have been implemented in recent years, such as the controversial “foreign agents” bill, which mirrors Russian legislation utilized to suppress dissent through the curtailing of media freedoms. Another is the “Family Values” bill, adopted to restrict LGBTQ+ rights. The ruling party has framed the European Parliament’s recent decision as “blackmail,” accusing Brussels of interfering in Georgia’s sovereignty. These events have underscored the EU’s inability to steer Georgia away from its deepening ties with Moscow.
In response to GD’s suspension of accession talks, approximately 100,000 protesters gathered outside parliament in Tbilisi, with demonstrations having already spread to at least eight cities since November 29, in response to the EU’s resolution regarding the Georgian elections. These protests have been met with a violent crackdown by authorities, deploying the use of water cannons, tear gas, and rubber bullets. Footage has circulated online showing police violently attacking unarmed demonstrators, leading to over 220 arrests, including prominent opposition leader Zurab Japaridze. Approximately 44 individuals have been hospitalized, with many more injured. Georgian authorities have also reported at least 21 police officers wounded. Protesters responded with Molotov cocktails and firework launchers.
As a result of the unrest, the EU recently announced that it is now reassessing its visa facilitation agreement with Georgia, potentially suspending it if democratic standards continue to erode. Moreover, the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have imposed travel bans on high-ranking GD officials and law enforcement officers allegedly implicated in human rights violations during the ongoing protests. The United States has also responded, suspending its strategic partnership with Georgia, which was established in 2009 to promote democratic values and economic cooperation.
Kobakhidze’s announcement to halt EU talks has confirmed popular fears of the country’s overt pivot away from the West to more closely align with Russia. Many Georgians strongly support EU integration, with a 2023 poll by the International Republican Institute suggesting that this number is as high as 89% of the population. During its time as parliament’s ruling party, GD has maintained a facade of pro-European rhetoric, simultaneously resisting the reforms required by Brussels to achieve accession. This shift is a stark reversal for a country that has been viewed as a forerunner of democratic aspirations in the post-Soviet sphere.
Georgian Dream’s rise to power in 2012 initially promised pro-Western reforms and closer ties to NATO and the EU. However, in recent years, the party has progressively embraced a Eurosceptic stance, as evidenced by its increasing reliance on anti-Western legislation and its emphasis on preserving Georgia’s cultural values, while simultaneously asserting that it is not anti-EU. This deliberate ambiguity on future European integration was viewed by many as a strategy to maintain popular support while also consolidating power through increasingly authoritarian measures.
During the recent 2024 elections, GD utilized fear mongering to gain votes, framing the opposition’s pro-European stance as antagonistic to Russia. Campaign materials juxtaposed images of war-torn Ukrainian cities with peaceful Georgian towns, leveraging public fears of Russian retaliation to achieve electoral dividends. These concerns are rooted in Georgia’s recent history, such as the 2008 war with Russia over the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, as well as Moscow’s 2014 annexation of Crimea. GD’s narrative of strategic caution resonated with voters, in the context of Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. This has heightened Georgia’s sense of vulnerability, especially as Russian military forces continue to occupy these breakaway regions, which are internationally recognized as part of Georgian territory. These security concerns, coupled with many opposition figures’ association with unpopular figures from the pre-2012 government, which was riddled with corruption, have allowed GD to maintain its grip on power.
It is increasingly clear that Russia has also assisted GD in remaining in power, prioritizing its influence efforts in Georgia, with Moscow leveraging a range of hybrid warfare tactics to manipulate political outcomes and propagate anti-Western narratives. For example, during 2019 protests in Tbilisi, a Russian-backed television network was implicated in the spread of disinformation to exacerbate unrest. The Kremlin also has strong ties with figures within GD, including Ivanishvili, who has been accused of having pro-Russian sympathies and links to Moscow’s influence operations, as well as strong financial ties to Russian state-owned Gazprom. Most recently, Russia used various hybrid tactics to allegedly assist GD in rigging the October parliamentary elections. The Kremlin has many reasons for taking such a heavy hand in Georgian affairs. For one, it likely seeks to reassert its dominance over the South Caucasus, utilizing Georgia as a gateway. Georgia is in a strategic location, vital for global trade routes and regional security. Russia’s successes in influencing Georgia’s political landscape have raised concerns that these strategies could be emulated in nearby Moldova, facilitating the Kremlin’s encroachment pursuits.
GD’s pivot toward Moscow is reflected in its foreign policies. Georgian imports of Russian natural gas through Gazprom have increased, reinforcing energy reliance on Moscow at a time when other regional actors have diverted away from Russian energy sources following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. China has also become a key player in Georgia’s development, financing major infrastructure projects such as the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway and the controversial Anaklia Deep Sea Port. These projects, which aim to position Georgia as a crucial logistical link between Europe and Asia, highlight the gaps left by insufficient Western investment. Georgia’s multi-vector foreign policy echoes the balancing acts of countries like Türkiye and Hungary, which maintain ties with both the East and the West. Georgia’s limited resources make this strategy precarious, rendering it vulnerable to external pressures from more assertive states.
Georgia’s shift away from the West could transform regional alliances. Armenia now represents the sole South Caucasus state that is actively in pursuit of EU membership. This isolation has the potential to thrust Armenia closer to Iran. Both nations share opposition to the Zangezur corridor – a contentious project backed by Türkiye, Azerbaijan and Russia. The corridor represents a pressing danger for Armenia’s territorial and strategic interests. The proposed corridor would cut through Armenia’s southern Syunik province and result in a permanent Azerbaijani military presence within its borders. Moreover, Georgia’s alignment with Russia, combined with Russia’s growing ties to Azerbaijan could undermine the established Türkiye-Azerbaijan alliance. In conjunction, these shifts could establish a new regional bloc which would exert significant pressure on Armenia, highlighting a need to seek stronger ties with Iran to counter this threat. However, its strained ties with Russia and limited alternatives inhibit its options.
ATHENS — Georgia will hold its annual spring game on Saturday, April 18. Below you can find live updates, the score and rosters for the 2026 G-Day game.
Georgia will have the red team, featuring the first team offense and second team defense, taking on the black team, which will be the first team offense and second team defense.
Georgia football live updates, highlights, roster for 2026 G-Day game
Seventh Drive Black- Red 17, Black 7
Hezekiah Millender completes a short pass to Jeremy Bell for 2 yards. Millender goes back to Bell for a gain of 10 yards. Then, Jae Lamar rushes to the left for 4 yards. Millender is sacked by Khamari Brooks for a loss of 7 yards. On 3rd & 13, Millender passes to Brayden Fogle for 32 yards. Jae Lamar picks up 5 yards on the ground. Team Black picks up the first down on a 7 yard reception by Will Taylor. Then, Bo Walker carries for a 2 yard gain. On the 10 yard line, Jae Lamar picks up 9 yards to put his team on the 1 yard line. Millender keeps for a TD.
Third Quarter
Sixth Drive Black- Red 17, Black 0
Hezekiah Millender completes a short pass to Bo Walker for 4 yards. Then Millender completes another pass to Ethan Barbour for 20 yards. After back to back it to back incomplete passes, Harran Zuriekat in brought in to kick a 48 yard FG which he narrowly misses.
Sixth Drive Red- Red 17, Black 0
Gunner Stockton completes a short pass to Craig Dandridge complete for 8 yards. Stockton attempts to get it to Dandridge again but it is incomplete. Josh Horton receives an offsides penalty which gives team Red the first down. Back to back incomplete passes by Gunner Stockton ends the drive for the Red Team.
Fifth Drive Black- Red 17, Black O
Todd Robinson picks off Ryan Montgomery’s pass intended for Ethan Barbour
Fifth Drive Red- Red 17, Black O
10 Plays 65 Yards, 5:10
The drive begins with a Ryan Puglisi incomplete pass intended for Elyiss Williams and the next play sees another incomplete pass intended for CJ Wiley. Team red picks up the first down thanks to Puglisi’s 32 yards pass to Talyn Taylor. Dwight Phillips Jr see back to back carries for a totaly gain of 3 yards. On 3rd & 7, Chauncey Bowens rushes to the left for 10 yards. On the 20 yard line, Puglisi completes a short pass to Elyiss Williams for 2 yards. Then Ryan Pugli’s pass to Jaden Reddell is good for 16 yards and a first down to put Team Red at the 4. Dwight Phillips Jr rushes up the middle for 3 yards. On 2nd & 1, Dwight Phillips Jr finds the endzone.
Fourth Drive Black- Red 10, Black 0
Ryan Montgomery’s pass intended for Ethan Barbour is incomplete. Dante Dowdell rushes to the left for a gain of 27 yards. Montgomery’s pass to Jeremy Bell is complete for 4 yards. On 2nd & 6, Bo Walker carries up the middle for a gain of 4 yards followed by another Walker carry for no gain. The drive ends after an incomplete pass intended for Talyn Taylor.
Fourth Drive Red- Red 10, Black 0
Chauncey Bowens rushes up the middle for a gain of 4 yards. Ryan Puglisi scrambles to pick up 1 yard. On 3rd & 5, Puglisi’s passed is tipped by Justin Greene.
Third Drive Black- Red 10, Black 0
On the first play, Jeremy Bell rushes for 35 yards but Lincoln Keyes draws a holding penalty. Then, Bell rushes again but there is no gain. On 3rd down, Montgomery’s pass intended for Ethan Barbour is incomplete.
Third Drive Red- Red 10, Black 0
8 Plays, 67 Yards, 4:32
Gunner Stockton’s pas intended for Craig Dandridge is incomplete. Chauncey Bowens breaks loose for an 18 yard rush. After an imcomplete pass intended for Talyn Taylor, Stockton completes a pass to Dwight Phillips Jr for 19 yards. Bowens takes a tackle for loss that brings the Red team back to the 32. Jaden Reddell gets involved with a 23 yard carry. On 1st & 9, Chauncey Bowens rushes up the middle for a gain of 2 yards. The Red Team scores on a 7 yard reception by Jaden Reddell.
2nd Quarter
Second Drive Black- Red 3, Black 0
Ryan Montgomery completes a pass to Kaiden Prothro for 2 yards followed by another pass to Prothro for 7 yards. On 3rd & 1, Bo Walker fumbles.
Second Drive Red- Red 3, Black 0
8 Plays, 67 Yards, 4:40
Stockton completes a pass to Isiah Canion followed by Dwight Phillips Jr carries for a 2 yard gain. Dwight Phillips Jr breaks loose for an explosive run of 15 yards. Then, Stockton completes a pass to Craig Dandridge for 33 yards. On the 16 yard line, Chauncey Bowens picks up 4 yards. Bowens gets the ball on the next play but there is no gain. On 3rd down, Stockton keeps but is short of the 4th down so Peyton Woodring is brought in to kick a 26 yard field goal which he makes.
First Drive Black- Black 0, Red 0
The first play sees an incomplete pass by Ryan Puglisi, intended for Ethan Barbour. Then, Nnmadi Ogboko gets the sack against Puglisi for a loss of 4 yards. On 3rd down Puglisi completes a pass to Jeremy Bell but it is short of the first down.
First Drive Red- Red 0, Black 0
The first play for the red team sees Nate Frazier rush for 5 yards. Then, Gunner Stockton pass to Chauncey Bowens is complete for yards. After an incomplete pass intended for Isiah Canion, Dwight Phillips Jr rushes for 7 yards. On 3rd down, Gunner Stockton keeps but is short of the first down.
1st Quarter
12:45 p.m. ET update: Couple of Bulldogs look like they won’t play today. As Georgia compeltes pregame warmups, wide receiver Sacovie White-Helton, linebacker Raylen Wilson and cornerback Demello Jones were not seen going through warmups. Cornerback Gentry Williams is in a white non-contact jersey, as is linebacker Zayden Walker. Both were dealing with shoulder injuries coming into today.
On the offensive line, Zykie Helton was working as the first-string right guard, with Juan Gaston at right tackle. Jah Jackson is also expected to play with the first-team offensive tackle.
11:30 p.m. ET: Georgia has released the rosters for the 2026 G-Day game. You can see them below.
RED TEAM
0 — Sacovie White-Helton
1 — Talyn Taylor
3 — Nate Frazier
4 — CJ Wiley
5 — Chauncey Bowens
6 — Isiah Canion
7 — Lawson Luckie
8 — Landon Roldan
10 — Zayden Walker
10 — Elyiss Williams
11 — Darren Ikinnagbon
12 — Ja’Marley Riddle
12 — Ryan Puglisi
13 — AJ Kruah
13 — Tyler J. Williams
14 — Gunner Stockton
15 — Khamari Brooks
15 — Ryan Montgomery
16 — London Humphreys
18 — Caden Harris
20 — Dwight Phillips Jr.
22 — Todd Robinson
23 — Tyriq Green
23 — Jaden Reddell
27 — Balke Stewart
28 — Walter Blanchard
28 — Jordan Smith
29 — Isaiah Gibson
32 — Jaylan Morgan
33 — PJ Dean
35 — Elijah Littlejohn
36 — Daniel Okonkwo
38 — AJ Lonon
39 — Will Snellings
41 — Carter Luckie
42 — Nick Abrams II
45 — Terrence Penick
48 — Duncan Carpenter
50 — Cortez Smith
52 — Valdin Sone
55 — Zykie Helton
55 — London Seymour
63 — Dontrell Glover
64 — Jahzare Jackson
71 — Earnest Greene
73 — Juan Gaston
74 — Drew Bobo
82 — Craig Dandridge
82 — Colton Heinrich
91 — Peyton Woodring
92 — Preston Carey
94 — Henry Bates
95 — Nnamdi Ogboko
96 — JJ Hanne
97 — Wade Register
BLACK TEAM
0 — Gabe Harris
1 — Ellis Robinson IV
2 — Thomas Blackshear
2 — Zion Branch
3 — Quintavius Johnson
4 — KJ Bolden
5 — Raylen Wilson
7 — Khalil Barnes
8 — Demello Jones
9 — Ethan Barbour
9 — Chris Cole
11 — Jeremy Bell
16 — Maurice Hayes
17 — Golter Ginn
17 — Amaris Williams
18 — Bryson Beaver
19 — Hezekiah Millender
19 — Justin Williams
20 — Zech Fort
22 — Donte Dowdell
24 — Braylon Conley
24 — Bo Walker
25 — Jake Bobo
25 — Jontae Gilbert
26 — Micah Bell
26 — Gentry Williams
27 — Rasean Dinkins
27 — Jae Lamar
30 — Terrell Foster
31 — Kyron Jones
31 — Wade Penn
36 — Jackson St. Clair
37 — Ben McElreath
41 — David Lalaian
44 — Jordan Hall
45 — Eli Barrow
46 — Danny Curan
47 — Will Taylor
51 — Malachi Toliver
52 — Michael Uini
53 — Zach Lewis
54 — Waltclaire Flynn
60 — Henry Peagler
65 — Dennis Uzochukwu
66 — Tyreek Jemison
67 — Clinton Barlow
69 — Graham Houston
70 — Daniel Calhoun
72 — Ekene Ogboko
75 — Mason Short
76 — Marcus Harrison
78 — Tate Helms
79 — TyQuez Richardson
80 — Kaiden Prothro
81 — Josh Horton
83 — Brady Holbert
84 — Dallas Dickerson
85 — Chase Linton
85 — Ryan Mosley
87 — Lincoln Keyes
88 — Brayden Fogle
88 — Nasir Johnson
90 — Elijah Griffin
90 — Drew Miller
91 — Justin Greene
94 — Xzavier McLeod
98 — Connor Ferguson
99 — Joseph Jonah-Ajonye
99 — Harran Zuriekat
Georgia will be without a few key players on Saturday, as outside linebacker Amaris Williams and cornerback Ellis Robinson are not expected to play due to injury.
Georgia spring game: How to watch 2026 G-Day online
This game will not be streamed over traditional cable. You can still watch the game if you have a cable subscription to ESPN. Visit the WatchESPN tab on ESPN’s homepage and find the game on either ESPN+ or SECNetwork+. Click here to watch the game.
Below is a video walking through how to watch the game.
Georgia spring game game time for 2026 G-Day
The Georgia spring game starts at 1 p.m. ET.
Georgia spring game TV Network for 2026 G-Day
The Georgia spring game will be broadcast on SECNetwork+/ESPN+.
Georgia spring game radio options for 2026 G-Day
The G-Day scrimmage can be heard loclally on WNGC 106.1, 95.5 WSB and WXKT 103.7. G-Day will also be distributed to all network affiliates and the game will be available on the Georgia Bulldogs app.
Georgia spring game rosters for 2026 G-Day
*These have not been released by UGA yet. This section will be updated as soon as the rosters are available.
WR Ted Hurst
- Height: 6’4”
- Weight: 206 lbs
- Class: Senior
- School: Georgia State
- Hands: 9 ¾”
- Arm length: 32 ⅝”
- 40-yard dash: 4.42s
- 10-Yard Split: 1.55s
- Vertical Jump: 36 ½”
- Broad Jump: 11’3”
- STATS
An unranked recruit out of Johnson High School in Savannah, Georgia, where he enrolled at Valdosta State and played two years at the small school before transferring to Georgia State in 2024.
He was a three star recruit in the transfer portal; the 211th wide receiver, and the 1,624th player. Hurst was raised in a military family and his brother, Darrell Myers Jr. was a wide receiver for Valdosta State when they won the 2018 Division II National Championship.
Hurst dominated the smaller level of competition and caught 61.1% of his contested catches during his two years at Georgia State. He dropped 14 passes (drop rate of 9.7%) and his average yards per reception was 15.4-yards with an 14.8-yard aDot and a 2.18 yards per route run number.
Hurst had an excellent 2026 NFL Scouting Combine and has quietly been a “sleeper” during the draft process.
Strengths
- Elite size + fluidity combination
- Solid thickness + muscle definition + excellent AA
- Excellent size/speed/fluidity combination
- Long strider with IMPRESSIVE acceleration and stop/start
- Has an explosive second gear
- Above-average change of direction + excellent explosiveness on in-breaking routes
- Swift transitions on the vertical plane
- Quickly gets his numbers back to the QB on curls/comeback
- Excellent ability to gear down on the vertical plane
- Very good ball skills – tracks and secures deep balls well
- Concentration is great – can pluck away from his frame
- Has acrobatic catch ability
- Wide catch radius with above-average hands
- Solid YAC ability
Weaknesses
- Limited route tree
- Route nuance and pacing could improve
- Solid YAC ability, but won’t consistently make NFL defenders miss
- Not much special teams in his past
- Was not used much as a run blocker
Summary
Ted Hurst possesses a rare blend of size, speed, and fluidity. He has an elite ability to smoothly transition/break on routes within the vertical plane (comeback/curl); he has great hip bend and explodes out of his breaks with above-average suddenness.
Hurst has traits that any WR coach would love to develop + his ball-skills are great. He’s a developmental option with a high ceiling, but his route running, timing, and ability to consistently beat NFL athletes must be refined and/or proven. He’s a high upside traits pick that may find his way into Day 2.
GRADE: 6.22
Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news and send your mailbag questions to us.
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow
What to expect from Georgia’s quarterback room during the spring game.
While the Georgia Bulldogs do not have a quarterback battle occuring at the moment for the starting spot, it’s still a very important position to pay attention to during the spring game. Gunner Stockton returns as the starter, but fans have not gotten to see the guys behind Stockton a whole lot throughout their careers.
With that said, here is what fans expect to see from Georgia’s quarterback room during the spring scrimmage on Saturday.
What to Expect from Georgia’s Quarterback Room on Saturday
For starters, fans should not expect to see a whole lot from Stockton. He has been with the program for a long time now. The coaching staff knows what they have in him, so the most important part is that he is ready to go when the fall rolls around.
What’s more important is for Georgia to get a good look at guys like Ryan Puglisi and Ryan Montgomery on Saturday. Puglisi served as the backup quarterback last season, but with Montgomery fully healthy this offseason, it could create a little bit of a battle for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart.
So the expectation should be that Puglisi and Montgomery get the bulk of the reps during Saturday’s scrimmage. The best way to get in good graces with Georgia’s coaching staff at quarterback is to not turn the ball over and have the offense stay ahead of the sticks.
Puglisi has all of the tools in the world to be successful at the college level. The arm talent is there and he is the perfect mold for what most are looking for in a quarterback. However, he did turn the ball over against Kentucky in some limited playing time last season, so it will be important to see if he has cleaned that up this year.
As for Montomgery, this is the first real look fans will get of him since he got to Athens. He was rehabbing a knee injury he suffered during his senior season in high school last spring, but is a full go this year.
Fans can also expect to see Colter Ginn, Hezekiah Millender and Bryson Beaver some this weekend as well. Beaver got to Georgia in January after transferring out of Oregon.
Fans who are not able to attend Saturday’s spring scrimmage will be able to watch the game on ESPN+. Kickoff is set for 1 PM ET.
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow
-
Hawaii6 minutes agoLarge section of Aloha Stadium demolished as project proceeds – West Hawaii Today
-
Idaho11 minutes ago
Idaho Lottery results: See winning numbers for Powerball, Pick 3 on April 18, 2026
-
Illinois18 minutes ago5 tornadoes confirmed in Illinois from Friday’s storms
-
Indiana24 minutes agoAn Indiana district turned to voters to fund more preschool seats. Here’s what happened next.
-
Iowa30 minutes agoVote: Who Should be Iowa’s High School Athlete of the Week? (4/19/2026)
-
Kansas36 minutes agoKansas Losing Momentum With Key Transfer Target After New Visits
-
Kentucky42 minutes agoKentucky is poised to land either Donnie Freeman or Sebastian Rancik this weekend, per report
-
Louisiana48 minutes ago‘Growth pays for growth’: Entergy’s Fair Share Plus model to save Louisiana customers $2.8 billion