Ruling party MP: new US Ambassador appintment is key step toward renewing Georgia-US relations

Irakli Kadagishvili, the Chair of the Regional Policy and Self-Government Committee of the Georgian Parliament, on Tuesday assessed Tamar Taliashvili’s appointment as Georgia’s Ambassador to the United States as the first practical step toward the renewal of relations between Tbilisi and Washington.

In his interview with Imedi TV, Kadagishvili noted that the Government was waiting for the arrival of the new American Ambassador to Georgia, which he believes will create a “working, fruitful platform” for rebuilding the crucial relationship.

“We expect a qualitative renewal of Georgian-American relations, and in this direction, it can be considered that the first practical step is that Georgia will have a new Ambassador to the United States, and we also expect the arrival of a new American Ambassador to Georgia, which will create a kind of working, fruitful platform for the renewal of these strategic relations. These are the expectations and the first steps that give us concrete hope on the path of this expectation,” Kadagishvili said.

The Government of Georgia on Tuesday officially nominated Tamar Taliashvili for the position of Ambassador of Georgia to the United States, submitting her candidacy to President Mikheil Kavelashvili for approval, as outlined in a decree published on the Government’s official website.

Her appointment to this key diplomatic post comes at a critical juncture in Georgia-US relations. In late 2024, Washington suspended its strategic partnership with Tbilisi, citing concerns over democratic backsliding and the violent suppression of pro-European demonstrations.

Before entering politics, Taliashvili worked in international development and legal advisory roles, including positions with the USAID fiscal reform project and Germany’s GIZ foundation. In 2011, she was nominated for the US Secretary of State’s Women in Public Service initiative.

The diplomatic process now requires formal approval from both the host country, the United States, and Georgia’s president. Under Georgia’s constitution, the president appoints ambassadors upon the government’s nomination, but only after the receiving state has granted its agrément.

Taliashvili will succeed Davit Zalkaliani, a former foreign minister, who resigned from the Washington post in November 2024. Her appointment signals Tbilisi’s determination to strengthen ties with Washington, as both countries navigate a challenging period in their relationship.