The Russia-Georgia Bilateral Relations after the USSR Collapse: Foreign Policy and Regional Security Issues

Successive disruptive interactions between Georgia and Russia led to a situation defined by mutual negative perceptions and an unsuccessful normalisation. The central issue remained Russia’s role in the secessionist conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, transforming from an interested peacekeeper into a party. Other events participated in removing trust between Georgia and Russia, as well as other linkages, including trade, transport communication, and diplomatic relations. The efforts to normalise the relations between the two countries brought a few successes but remain largely impeded by the mutual negative perceptions and the developments regarding Georgia’s Euro-Atlantist path, Abkhazia and South Ossetia; which fragilize any bilateral attempts to improve the relations. In this respect, the Caucasus region could represent an opportunity for a multilateral cooperation, which would benefit the interest of both Georgia and Russia. This multilateral format can enable stable interactions that would contribute to improving the mutual perceptions of the actors, as well as trust.