Georgian Parliament official: Georgia participates in NATO Parliamentary Assembly session to further strengthen parliamentary ties with Alliance

The Georgian parliamentary delegation is participating in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Spring Session in Vilnius with the aim of further strengthening parliamentary cooperation between Georgia and NATO, said on Monday Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Georgian Parliament.

Samkharadze, who is attending the session together with Georgia’s permanent parliamentary delegation, said the assembly’s key discussions focused on hybrid and conventional military threats posed by Russia, Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine, and efforts to reinforce security along NATO’s eastern flank.

“The Georgian parliamentary delegation is taking part in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Spring Session in Vilnius. The session began two days ago and concludes today. The main topics under discussion include hybrid and conventional military threats originating from Russia, Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, the extension of compulsory military service in NATO member states, increased investment in military technologies and innovation, and, more broadly, strengthening security on NATO’s eastern flank”, Samkharadze stated.

According to him, participants also heard remarks from NATO’s Deputy Secretary General, who outlined the Alliance’s future priorities, including plans to increase defense spending to as much as 5 percent of GDP.

Samkharadze noted that the Deputy Secretary General also stressed that Ukraine has become a “laboratory” for military innovation and emerging technologies.

“He emphasized that Ukraine has become a laboratory for military innovation and new technologies. As a result, Ukraine now possesses some of the most capable military units, and NATO should draw important lessons from the experience of this war”, Samkharadze said.

The Foreign Relations Committee Chair underlined that Georgia’s delegation participates in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly as a partner delegation.

“As you know, the Georgian delegation is a partner of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, and we are taking part in this event in order to further deepen and strengthen the parliamentary dimension of relations between Georgia and NATO”, he added.

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly Spring Session is being held in Vilnius and brings together parliamentarians from NATO member and partner countries to discuss key security and defense challenges facing the Alliance.