Georgian PM: we have messages for Trump administration, relationship reboot based on mutual interests

In a recent interview with the Georgian Public Broadcaster, the Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Wednesday asserted the country's independence and sovereignty, stating that all international relations would be conducted with this principle in mind.

Kobakhidze expressed openness to renewed strategic partnership with the United States, but emphasised that it would be contingent on mutual interests.

The Prime Minister further clarified that recent discussions between the Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili and Robin Dunnigan, the United States Ambassador to the country, did not include talks of snap elections or related issues, instead, it focused on general state matters.

“Naturally, the United States is a superpower, the strongest country in the world, and it views relationships with any country through the prism of its own interests. This is entirely normal, and we must acknowledge this. Likewise, we have our interests, and we will clearly communicate them to the new US administration, especially in light of what we have endured over the past three years”, the PM said.

“There was a specific [US] administration that was distinguished by its directly hostile activities towards our country. This was reflected in specific hostile decisions, such as the sanctioning of high-ranking officials, etc. I am not talking about specific actions that were related to an attempt to destabilise the situation in Georgia, which are related to the idea of ​​war, the idea of ​​a second front, etc. There were a lot of problems. On this backdrop, we will have our messages and we have these messages towards President Trump, his administration. The main thing is that in any case, the reboot of relations should be based on mutual interests. If there is fairness, in this case nothing can stand in the way of a qualitative reboot of relations, the restoration of a strategic partnership”, he continued.

While acknowledging Georgia's position as a smaller state, Kobakhidze reiterated that its sovereignty would be the guiding principle in all international engagements.

He expressed optimism about the potential for converging interests and the restoration of the strategic partnership, emphasising that “the reboot of relations will essentially depend on the defeat of the deep state”.