EU Leaders Say Georgia’s Membership Process Effectively Halted

European Union leaders said that Georgia’s refusal to reverse its crackdown on civil society has prompted a “de facto” halt to its efforts to join the bloc.

The move follows an adoption of a bill widely known as the “foreign agent” law that sparked massive anti-government protests. The US and the EU said the law is similar to one President Vladimir Putin introduced to crush pro-democracy groups in Russia.