The results of the elections and referendum that were held in the past few days in Eastern European countries (Moldova, Georgia, Bulgaria, and Lithuania) angered the West.

Georgia has long been a Republican stronghold, but with President Joe Biden's victory in 2020, the southern state has become a swing state, making it a hotly contested battleground in the November 5 election.

The EU and the US are reassessing their cooperation with the country, with Brussels freezing €30 million of aid and Washington cancelling military exercises.

Protesters in Georgia oppose a new bill proposed by the ruling party, which they liken to a Russian law designed to stifle dissent and classify foreign-funded institutions as "foreign agents."

The invasion of Ukraine is the first time that the Kremlin has been hobbled in its ability to respond through its own high-powered lobbyists in Washington.