Georgian President claims process of resetting US relations has begun

Georgia’s president Mikheil Kavelashvili has claimed a process aimed at rebuilding relations between Georgia and the United States had begun, though “Washington has indicated it needs time before fully re-engaging”.

Speaking on the television programme Imedis Kvira on Imedi TV on the weekend, Kavelashvili said discussions with representatives of the current US administration suggested that dialogue between the two countries would eventually resume.

“When we say we are ready, we mean it sincerely,” he said. “Based on our national interests, we must look for where our interests intersect on the basis of mutual respect and trust. That process has begun.”

Kavelashvili further claimed American officials had “consistently” told Georgian representatives that the current administration was reviewing the issue and would return to the matter once its internal work is complete.

Kavelashvili said he had received similar messages during meetings with senior US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice-President JD Vance, during a visit to Milan. He also referred to discussions during a recent Georgian parliamentary delegation’s visit to the United States Congress, which he described as successful.

The president suggested that the current situation stemmed partly from tensions with the previous US administration, which had criticised Georgia over issues such as the country’s transparency legislation.

Kavelashvili also claimed that the current US administration had signalled it preferred direct communication with governments rather than relying on non-governmental organisations in its foreign relations.

He referred to earlier disputes involving the US development agency United States Agency for International Development, commonly known as USAID, and alleged interference by some organisations in political processes abroad.

Commenting on criticism of a recent parliamentary delegation’s visit to Washington, the president said attacks from what he described as “radical groups” demonstrated that some opponents were more focused on weakening the current government than on the country’s national interests.

He argued that the restoration of closer Georgia-United States relations would be damaging for those political forces.