Frozen Conflicts and Georgia’s Security Dilemma
Author : Miranda Mikadze, Nino Dzidzishvili 30/09/2026
This article examines how the frozen conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia affect Georgia's European integration process, with particular attention to the role of the Russian Federation in sustaining these dynamics. It addresses the following research question: To what extent do the frozen conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia constrain Georgia's European integration, and what role does Russian involvement play in sustaining these constraints?
The study adopts a qualitative case study approach based on the analysis of academic literature, official European Union documents, and relevant policy and institutional sources. Georgia provides an appropriate case for examining the relationship between frozen conflicts and European integration, as it combines pro-European political aspirations with unresolved territorial disputes and persistent external influence.
The article argues that the consequences of these frozen conflicts extend beyond the security dimension. The continued existence of the de facto authorities in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, together with Russia's political, military, and diplomatic support for these territories, has created structural constraints that limit Georgia's domestic reforms, restrict its foreign policy options, and prospects for EU accession. While the European Union has strengthened its engagement with Georgia through political association and institutional cooperation, unresolved territorial conflicts continue to limit the country's integration trajectory by increasing geopolitical uncertainty and complicating the implementation of EU norms and policies.
The article concludes that frozen conflicts should be understood not only as unresolved territorial disputes but also as enduring geopolitical instruments shaping the relationship among the European Union, Georgia, and the Russian Federation.
Keywords: Frozen conflicts, Georgia, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, European integration, Russian Federation, De facto states.
Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.55367/LQBZ9048