Russia remains the main consumer of goods from Georgia, the Foreign Ministry said

Director of the Fourth Department of the CIS Countries of the Russian Foreign Ministry Mikhail Kalugin recalled that Georgia’s ties with Russia are natural, and the Russian side remains the main consumer of Georgian goods.

In January - June of this year, bilateral trade turnover increased by almost 20%, a quarter of tourists in Georgia are Russians.

The EU's share of Georgian trade has fallen from 32% to 21% over the past 10 years; in 2025, EU countries accounted for only 12% of Georgian local exports, while CIS countries accounted for 70%.

MOSCOW, October 6 - RIA Novosti. Georgia’s ties with Russia are natural; the Russian side remains the main consumer of Georgian goods, Mikhail Kalugin, director of the Fourth Department of the CIS countries of the Russian Foreign Ministry, recalled in an interview with RIA Novosti.

According to Kalugin, in January-June of this year, bilateral trade turnover increased by almost 20%, a quarter of tourists in the republic are Russians.

“As for Georgia’s ties with Russia, they are natural. We are the main consumer of traditional Georgian goods. Despite the conclusion of an association agreement by Georgia with the EU in 2014, over the past 10 years, the EU’s share in Georgian trade has decreased from 32% to 21%. Moreover, in 2025, EU countries accounted for only 12% of Georgian local exports, while CIS countries accounted for only 12% of Georgian local exports. 70%," he noted.

Kalugin emphasized that these figures say a lot about how strong the European prospects are for Georgia, and for other countries in the region.