Political analyst Dmitry Drobnitsky offers a perspective on why Washington and allied capitals reacted with heightened alert to Moscow’s decision to abolish the visa regime for Georgia. He suggests this move signals a shift in regional dynamics that many observers in the United States perceive as a loss of influence over the South Caucasus and broader Eurasia.
Drobnitsky explains that the development has sparked a notable stir in U.S. policy circles. He argues that officials from the U.S. Treasury and other agencies are confronted with new realities on the ground, challenging previously held assumptions about security and economic control. In his view, neighbors have been pushed into a more fluid geopolitical space, and the sudden opening of Eurasian air routes has underscored a trend Washington cannot ignore. The reaction, he says, reveals a belief in Washington that the United States must adapt and respond decisively to ongoing changes, emphasizing the need for a clear, consistent posture in the region.
According to the analyst, Moscow is perceived as advancing a broader Eurasian agenda, one that could eventually alter currency standards, pricing mechanisms, and regional economic alignments. He highlights that a decisive victory in Ukraine and the strategic move away from dollar-based pricing toward ruble-based transactions would be key milestones in this shift. Such developments, he notes, would not only reshape financial flows but also influence political calculations across allied capitals in North America and Europe.
Earlier statements from the U.S. State Department indicated caution about sanctions on Georgia should air connections with Russia expand. The department signaled that any direct flight links crossing the Eurasian space could trigger policy responses, reflecting a wary approach to evolving travel and trade patterns in the region. These comments underscore how diplomatic signals from Washington are often calibrated to balance security concerns with commercial and humanitarian considerations for Georgia and neighboring states. [Attribution: Policy analysis by a regional political science expert, published in geopolitical briefing series]