23
November 2022
Past Event
Countering Russian Influence in Georgia

Countering Russian Influence in Georgia

Past Event
Online Only
November 23, 2022
Ukraine georgia
Caption
Demonstrators hold placards and wave flags during a rally in support of Ukraine in Tbilisi, Georgia, on March 1, 2022. (Vano Shlamov/AFP via Getty Images)
23
November 2022
Past Event
Speakers:
Khatia Dekanoidze

Member of the Parliament of Georgia

Eka Gigauri

Executive Director, Transparency International Georgia

Joshua Rudolph

Senior Fellow for Malign Finance, Alliance for Securing Democracy, German Marshall Fund

Olena Halushka

Board Member, Anti-Corruption Action Center and Co-founder, International Center for Ukrainian Victory

Moderator:
nate_sibley
Nate Sibley

Fellow and Director, Kleptocracy Initiative

In 2008, Russia invaded and illegally occupied one-fifth of the Republic of Georgia. Now Moscow’s authoritarian influence again threatens the country.

Georgia’s wealthiest oligarch, Bidzina Ivanishvili, made his fortune in Russia and reportedly maintains business interests there. Meanwhile, anti-Western elements have sought to influence Georgia’s state institutions and civil society in recent years, and relations with the United States and European Union have become increasingly strained.

Russian influence within Georgia has significant implications for Ukraine’s fight for freedom. Tbilisi’s stance toward Kyiv has been lukewarm despite strong public support for helping Ukraine. Georgia’s strategic location and economic dependence on Russia raise concerns that it could become a hub for sanctions evasion. And the recent influx of Russian émigrés has prompted fears that the Kremlin could use their presence as a pretext for further interference or aggression.

Please join leading Georgian and US experts at Hudson Institute for a discussion on countering Russia’s influence in Georgia.

Related Events
07
July 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Designating the Polisario Front: A Conversation with Rep. Joe Wilson
Featured Speakers:
Michael Doran
Congressman Joe Wilson
U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) speaks during a news conference hosted by members of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus at the Capitol on February 24, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Getty Images)
07
July 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Designating the Polisario Front: A Conversation with Rep. Joe Wilson

Michael Doran, director of Hudson’s Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East, will host Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC) for a discussion on the strategic benefits of designating the Polisario Front as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO).

U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) speaks during a news conference hosted by members of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus at the Capitol on February 24, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Getty Images)
Featured Speakers:
Michael Doran
Congressman Joe Wilson
09
July 2025
Virtual Event | Invite Only
Israel’s Economic Resilience after October 7: Navigating War and Strategic Pressures
Featured Speakers:
Noach Hacker
Michael Doran
Getty Images
09
July 2025
Virtual Event | Invite Only
Israel’s Economic Resilience after October 7: Navigating War and Strategic Pressures

Noach Hacker, Israel’s minister of economic affairs, will join Hudson’s Michael Doran for a discussion on how Israel has fortified its economic foundations for moments of extreme crisis. 

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
Noach Hacker
Michael Doran
11
July 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
The Han Kuang Exercise and the Taiwanese Military’s Road to Readiness
Featured Speakers:
RADM Mark Montgomery
Brent Sadler
Bryan Clark
Moderator:
Riley Walters
Getty Images
11
July 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
The Han Kuang Exercise and the Taiwanese Military’s Road to Readiness

Hudson’s Riley Walters will discuss what to look for during these exercises and what more Taiwan can do to strengthen its defense posture with a panel of military experts.

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
RADM Mark Montgomery
Brent Sadler
Bryan Clark
Moderator:
Riley Walters
17
July 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Politics, Loyalty, and Survival: A Conversation with Salena Zito
Featured Speakers:
Salena Zito
Paul Sracic
Getty Images
17
July 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Politics, Loyalty, and Survival: A Conversation with Salena Zito

Journalist and author Salena Zito will join Hudson's Paul Sracic to discuss her new book Butler: The Untold Story of the Near Assassination of Donald Trump and the Fight for America’s Heartland, releasing July 8. 

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
Salena Zito
Paul Sracic