The Georgian-American "transfer has started with difficulty"

21-07-2026 16:08 Politics

1in.am U.S. President Donald Trump has sent a thank-you letter to Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili in response to the congratulations he received from him on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the United States' independence. Although the response from Washington came two weeks late, Tbilisi has considered that the complications in bilateral relations caused by the democratic administration are "in the past, and the new page of friendship will be the best of all previous ones."

The ruling MP of the Georgian Parliament, Guram Macharashvili, has emphasized the invitation extended by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Georgia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Maka Botchorishvili, who participated in a ministerial meeting titled "On the Resumption of Political Terrorism" in Washington on July 17. Botchorishvili assessed the actions of Georgia's "radical groups," which are aimed at "discrediting state institutions, including the judicial and electoral systems," as manifestations of "political terrorism."

Former Georgian President Zurabishvili has accused the current authorities of "not knowing diplomatic protocol." In his assessment, "the U.S. has always sent such letters to countries that congratulate on the occasion of their independence day." Opposition member of the "United National Movement" party, Lasha Parulava, is convinced that U.S.-Georgia relations will be regulated when "the opponents of the government in Tbilisi are released from prisons, and an environment necessary for elections is created."

Last month, a delegation from the U.S. State Department was in Tbilisi for a three-day visit, holding meetings and discussions with both Prime Minister Garibashvili and key members of the government, as well as representatives of the opposition and the All-Georgian Patriarch-Catholicos Shio III. Shortly after the visit of the American diplomats, the Georgian government took over the construction of the Anaklia port and necessary infrastructure, canceling the previously signed agreement with a Chinese company.

Unlike the European Union, the U.S. has not set explicit preconditions for the Georgian authorities. Nevertheless, political scientist Nino Skvortsova has expressed the view that "in the context of the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, the 'Georgian Dream' is not ready to drastically change its established position." In her assessment, the current government "will not take steps that could undermine internal stability and drag the country into regional confrontation."

Whether Washington has made any principled proposal to Tbilisi, the acceptance of which could "drag Georgia into regional confrontation," remains to be speculated. Earlier, former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili accused the honorary president of the "Georgian Dream," Bidzina Ivanishvili, of "aiding Iran under the guidance of Russia."

* This text was automatically translated by Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Noyan Tapan | Politics