Marcin Rosołowski from Staszic Institute Foundation: under Russian occupation, Georgia’s caution “simply an instinct for self-preservation, not betrayal”

Marcin Rosołowski, a board member of the Staszic Institute Foundation, has challenged the narrative surrounding the “myth of a pro-Russian Georgia” in his latest article. He argues that Tbilisi’s current cautious, “multi-vector” foreign policy is not an act of betrayal, but rather a fundamental instinct for survival given its geopolitical reality.

Rosołowski highlights that a significant portion of Georgia’s territory remains under Russian occupation, and Georgian society vividly remembers the trauma of the 2008 August War.

“Accusing the current Georgian Government of being pro-Russian is a political simplification that confuses more than it explains”, Rosołowski writes. “Georgia is a country where part of its territory is under Russian occupation. Georgian society remembers the 2008 war, Russian tanks, and the loss of control over Abkhazia and South Ossetia. In such a situation, caution does not necessarily mean betrayal - it may simply be an instinct for self-preservation”.

The author questions the double standards often applied to nations under threat, asking, “Ukraine can do anything to survive, but Georgia cannot?”

He describes Tbilisi’s current approach as a multi-vector policy that is sometimes annoying to the West and at times overly cautious, but firmly asserts that it is unacceptable to automatically label the government as Russian agents.

“It is easy to call on Georgians to take harsh steps from Warsaw, Berlin, or Brussels. It is much more difficult to take responsibility for the consequences if a small Caucasian country is dragged into another confrontation with Moscow”, the article reads.

Rosołowski shifts the focus of real pro-Russian sentiment away from the Caucasus and toward Western Europe, specifically targeting Germany. He notes that despite the ongoing war in Ukraine and sweeping international sanctions, segments of German business are actively seeking ways to restore economic ties with Russia.

“If we are already talking about pro-Russian attitudes, we should first of all look at Berlin. It was the German elites who built Nord Stream for years. It was Germany that made Europe dependent on Russian gas. It was they who lectured Poland about ‘Russophobia’ when Warsaw warned of the dangers of the Kremlin's imperial policy”, the author points out.

He underscores the symbolic significance of German business circles continuing to participate in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. According to Rosołowski, this behavior exposes a persistent mentality that views Russia as a partner and Central Europe as a mere obstacle to doing business.

Concluding his piece, Rosołowski warns that Poland must rely on its own geopolitical intuition rather than Western European frameworks: “That is why Poland should not adopt German sensitivity as its own compass in Eastern and Caucasian matters”.