Georgia Summons UK Ambassador Over Sanctioned Russian Vessel That Docked at Kulevi Port
By Messenger Staff
Thursday, June 18, 2026
Georgia's Foreign Ministry summoned British Ambassador Gareth Ward on June 17 over a statement issued by the British Embassy the previous day, noting that newly imposed UK sanctions against Russia included a vessel that "accessed a Georgian port earlier this year."
Ward met with Georgian Dream Deputy Foreign Minister George Zurabashvili. The Foreign Ministry said their talks centered on Georgia's "compliance with international sanctions regimes" and the government's efforts in that area, and that Zurabashvili told Ward the embassy's reference to the vessel was "unacceptable."
The ministry said it was "concerning that the statement issued by the British Embassy places particular emphasis on Georgia in connection with the sanctioned vessel 'SILVAR' (IMO 9291262), which reinforces misleading perceptions and serves to deliberately undermine Georgia's interests."
Its statement insisted there had "not been a single instance of Georgia violating international sanctions" and that Georgian authorities had maintained "thorough cooperation with international partners." It argued the vessel held a valid class certificate issued by Lloyd's Register, had called at ports across Europe, Asia, and Africa, and had passed a Port State Control inspection in Denmark shortly before entering Georgia without being detained.
"Such manipulative narratives undermine the relations between Georgia and the United Kingdom," the ministry said, adding that the meeting closed with "special emphasis placed on the importance of constructive cooperation between the parties."
The summons followed a late-evening statement on June 16 by Georgia's Maritime Transport Agency, which said it was "unclear" why the British Embassy had singled out Georgia, also noting that when the Silvar entered a Georgian port, it was not under sanctions from the UK, EU, United States, or United Nations.
That last point is technically accurate as far as Western designations go, but omits that the vessel had been sanctioned by Ukraine by the time it docked. The Silvar is part of Russia's shadow fleet network and reportedly entered Kulevi port in late January. Investigative outlet iFact estimated it unloaded up to 24,000 tons of oil or petroleum products between February 2 and 6 before departing for Istanbul.
Kulevi port is owned and operated by Azerbaijan's state energy company SOCAR. The adjacent Kulevi oil terminal, run by Georgian company Black Sea Petroleum, has faced scrutiny in recent months over its alleged role in facilitating Russian oil exports. The port itself was considered for inclusion in the European Union's 20th sanctions package against Russia, but was ultimately left out after the EU cited "positive commitments" from Georgian authorities and SOCAR.
