US Concerned if Direct Flights Between Russia and Georgia Begin

The State Department has stated that the restoration of air communication between Russia and Georgia will become a growing concern for the United States and other Western countries.

“If direct flights between Georgia and Russia begin, it will become a growing concern not only for the United States but also for other Western countries,” said State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has lifted the visa regime for Georgian citizens starting from May 15. Moscow explained that the decisions taken are consistent with Russia's principled approach of consistently facilitating communication and interaction between Russians and Georgians, despite the absence of diplomatic relations.

The Georgian airline Georgian Airways has received permission to fly to Russia and will begin its flights there on May 20. The Russian airline Azimuth plans to operate flights from Moscow to Tbilisi starting on May 19, using domestically produced aircraft.