Before Hillary : In 2009 , more and more nations began recognizing the independence of this nation that broke away from Georgia and successfully repelled a U.S.-supported Georgian invasion in 2008 . After Hillary : Clinton pressured Vanuatu and Tuvalu to break off diplomatic relations with Abkhazia in 2011 . The State Department pressured the governments of India , Germany , and Spain to refuse to recognize the validity of Abkhazian passports and , in violation of the US - UN Treaty government.agreements.rejectnullifyagreementcontractceasefire , refused to permit Abkhazian diplomats to visit UN headquarters in New York . The Clinton State Department also threatened San Marino , Belarus , Ecuador , Bolivia , Cuba , Somalia , Uzbekistan , and Peru with recriminations if they recognized Abkhazia . Georgia was connected to Clinton through the representation of Georgia in Washington the Podesta Group , headed by Tony Podesta , the brother of Mrs. Clinton ’s close friend and current campaign chairman John Podesta .