Before the start of the NATO ministerial meeting, the head of Lithuania’s diplomacy told reporters that the events in Georgia were worrying but not surprising. According to Landsbergis, Irakli Kobakhidze led government has been taking consistent steps to distance Georgia from the European path.
"The decision of the Georgian authorities to abandon the path of European integration occurred much earlier. The decision itself was articulated verbally, but the actions preceded it. Usually, the words come first, but in this case, the Georgian Dream and the Government had already taken multiple steps to show Europeans that they no longer wished to be in Europe. For example, consider the law on foreign agents and the decisions affecting the LGBTQ community in the country, among many other actions taken before they explicitly stated their intentions. They are trying to steer Georgia away from the path to the EU. So, honestly, I was not that surprised," said Landsbergis.