The UK has imposed sanctions on four Georgian citizens - Nikoloz Mzhavanadze, Mamuka Pipia, Paata Abuladze and Giorgi Iremadze - over what the British government described as the spread of Kremlin disinformation. Against this backdrop, Georgia’s economic ties with the UK include trade, foreign investment, tourism and remittances.
Trade turnover between Georgia and the UK exceeded a record $543 million last year, largely due to a sharp increase in imports of paintings, which amounted to $313 million. In the first eight months of 2026, trade turnover stood at $164 million, down by 65% year-on-year. Exports rose by 67% to $16.8 million, while imports fell by 68% to $147.2 million. Leading imports included passenger cars ($61.8m), alcoholic beverages ($10.2m), construction and earthmoving machinery ($10m), beverage-production mixtures ($7.8m) and other goods ($3.6m). Top exports were turbojet and turboprop engines and gas turbines ($4m), ferroalloys ($3.7m), knitted garments ($1.6m), new pneumatic tires ($1.4m) and natural grape wines ($1.3m).
The UK remains one of the largest sources of foreign investment in Georgia. In the second quarter of 2026, the UK ranked second with $123.5 million, accounting for 26.3% of total FDI. In 2025, Georgia received $426.6 million in FDI from the UK, the highest amount among individual countries.
Tourism and remittances also contribute to economic ties. The number of international visits from the UK reached a record 45,018 in 2025, while 22,799 visits were recorded in the first six months of 2026. Direct air connections between Georgia and the UK resumed in spring 2025, with British Airways and easyJet operating regular flights to Tbilisi. Remittances from the UK totaled $44.1 million in the first eight months of 2026, accounting for 1.7% of total remittances, compared with $58 million for all of 2025.
