PM Kobakhidze expresses optimism for shift in US policy toward Georgia

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has expressed optimism that the United States will revise what he described as an “unfair and overly harsh” approach toward Georgia, saying his government was “patiently awaiting’ Washington’s updated position.

Speaking to journalists on Friday, Kobakhidze said Tbilisi hoped the new US administration will adjust its stance compared to the period before 2024, when relations were strained over concerns about democratic backsliding and foreign-policy alignment.

“We hope the overall attitude of the American government toward Georgia will change. This is the general optimism we can express,” Kobakhidze said. “We are patiently waiting for their position, and we expect that the absolutely rough and unfair attitude that existed before 2024 will be replaced with new approaches.”

The Prime Minister noted that while specific legislative or diplomatic steps from Washington were still pending, the essence lied in how the United States responded to Georgia’s recent proposals for renewed cooperation.

“The specific acts are not essential. What matters is that we have made a concrete offer to the United States, and we await their response,” he said. “We will act according to the nature of that response.”