The United States has rescinded an invitation extended to Georgia’s prime minister for a reception with world leaders hosted by President Joe Biden during this week’s U.N. General Assembly, according to a U.S. official. This decision marks a significant downturn in a previously strong relationship.

The official informed Reuters that the invitation to Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has been withdrawn, and all meetings with the Georgian delegation have been canceled. This action is reportedly linked to Georgia’s enactment of a “foreign agents” law earlier this year. Recent discussions with the Georgian government led Washington to believe that Tbilisi is deliberately undermining its prospects for joining the European Union and NATO, the official noted.

Georgia’s Inter Press News reported that the U.S. embassy in Tbilisi indicated the invitation was revoked due to what it described as the Georgian government’s “anti-democratic actions, disinformation, and negative rhetoric towards the U.S. and the West.”

Parliamentary speaker Shalva Papuashvili described the retraction of the invitation as “frivolous.” Georgia, a candidate for EU membership and a significant recipient of U.S. aid since gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, has recently experienced a deterioration in its relationships with Western nations due to allegations of authoritarianism and pro-Russian tendencies.

The ruling party, Georgian Dream, which is perceived to be under the influence of billionaire former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, enacted the “foreign agents” law despite widespread criticism from Western countries, which viewed it as a reflection of Russian laws aimed at suppressing dissent.

This legislation mandates that organizations receiving over 20% of their funding from foreign sources register as foreign influence agents, subjecting them to strict disclosure requirements and substantial penalties for non-compliance.

As Georgian Dream aims for a fourth consecutive term in the upcoming parliamentary elections in October, Ivanishvili has hinted that, if victorious, the party may seek to prohibit the pro-Western opposition group, the United National Movement.

Recent opinion polls indicate that Georgian Dream continues to be the leading political party; however, it has experienced a decline in support since 2020, when it secured nearly 50% of the vote and a narrow majority in parliament.

In a Facebook post, senior MP Mamuka Mdinaradze from Georgian Dream accused President Biden of attempting to extend an electoral “lifeline” to the opposition in Georgia. Additionally, the relationship between the U.S. and Georgia has soured, as evidenced by the recent imposition of sanctions by the U.S. on two Georgian police commanders linked to the violent suppression of protest leaders opposing the foreign agent law.

Furthermore, the European Union, which has previously stated that Georgia’s application process is effectively stalled, warned last week that it might revoke its visa-free travel arrangement for Georgians if the upcoming October elections are not conducted in a free, fair, and peaceful manner.