Georgia Welcomes Nauru's Decision to Cut Ties With Occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali
By Messenger Staff
Thursday, July 30, 2026
Nauru has severed diplomatic relations with Georgia's Russian-occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali, the Georgian Foreign Ministry said on July 29, describing the move as a reaffirmation of international law. It remains unclear whether Nauru has also formally withdrawn its recognition of the two regions' claimed independence.
According to the ministry, Nauru's Cabinet decided on July 21 to end diplomatic relations with the de facto authorities in Sokhumi and Tskhinvali.
"The decision once again confirms that respect for and adherence to the norms of international law constitute the foundation of sound international relations," the ministry said. It added that Georgia stands ready to establish diplomatic relations with Nauru.
Nauru recognized Abkhazia and Tskhinvali as independent states in 2009 after establishing diplomatic relations with the two regions. It is one of only five UN member states to have done so, alongside Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Syria.
Two other Pacific nations, Vanuatu and Tuvalu, also recognized the occupied regions but later reversed their decisions in 2013 and 2014, respectively.
Following Tbilisi's announcement, the de facto foreign ministry in occupied Abkhazia confirmed that diplomatic relations with Nauru had been terminated but claimed the decision was the result of outside pressure.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia regrets the forced decision of the Republic of Nauru to sever diplomatic relations with the Republic of Abkhazia," the de facto ministry said in a statement.
It alleged that Georgia and its Western partners had opposed cooperation between Sokhumi and Nauru from the outset and claimed that an "aggressive external pressure campaign" had intensified after bilateral initiatives began to advance. According to the statement, Nauru faced "political blackmail," diplomatic pressure, economic restrictions and sanctions aimed at forcing it to reverse its position. The de facto authorities provided no evidence to support those claims.
