PM: Georgia had strategic partnership with US ‘on paper’

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Monday claimed that while the country had a “strategic partnership” with the United States in the past, it was largely symbolic and lacked real substance.

At a government session, Kobakhidze outlined his government’s intention to transform this relationship into a “real” strategic partnership, one with specific, “measurable outcomes that benefit both Georgia and the US”.

“We had a strategic partnership with the US written on paper until now, which in reality had no content,” Kobakhidze said. “We want to qualitatively reload relations and start talking about a real strategic partnership with real content, an agenda, and specific guidelines.” He expressed hope that the new US administration would help elevate Georgia’s ties with the US, focusing on concrete issues such as visa-free travel, free trade, and direct flights – areas that are currently absent from the bilateral relationship.

Kobakhidze emphasized that the new partnership would need to be based on mutual benefits, outlining a vision for a partnership with a roadmap similar to the EU’s Association Agenda. “We need to know exactly what the strategic partnership should bring to both the US and Georgia and what tangible results it should deliver,” he said, underlining that a partnership with clear, agreed-upon outcomes was crucial for both nations.

The Prime Minister also touched on the importance of shared values. He expressed hope that the new US administration would not impose demands that contradict Georgia’s core societal values, stressing that such a partnership must be rooted in a mutual understanding of these values. “We have a well-founded hope that the new administration will not impose demands on us that qualitatively contradict the values of our society,” he said.

In addition to focusing on the US, Kobakhidze reaffirmed Georgia’s “commitment” to European integration. He reiterated that the government’s European agenda was alive and well, with a focus on fulfilling obligations under the EU’s Association Agenda and Free Trade Agreement. “Everyone understood very well that we have not stopped any European integration, on the contrary, we are maximally focused on fulfilling the relevant obligations,” Kobakhidze remarked.

The Prime Minister also addressed political developments at home, responding to opposition calls for early elections. He specifically referenced opposition leaders’ concerns about January 20, stating, “I want to promise them that they will finish their attempt to bring some chaos to our country much sooner, by January 20.” He further asserted that the government’s strength would remain unshaken, and that Georgians would celebrate the New Year in line with the country’s traditions and interests.