Georgian PM calls for reboot of US Relations, cites shared values with Trump administration

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Sunday said Georgia had been engaged in a four-year-long struggle to defend its sovereignty and national interests.

In his interview with Imedi TV, Kobakhidze noted that during this period, both the Georgian people and the Government had hoped for greater attention and support from the United States - hopes that, he noted, have largely been met with silence.

“That silence led us to take the initiative and issue an open letter, in an effort to bring about certain shifts in the current dynamic” the PM said.

Kobakhidze emphasised that the main message of the letter was a desire to “reboot” and establish fair and balanced relations between Georgia and the United States.

“We expressed our interest in rebooting the relationship. That was the key message of our letter. We want to see a relationship that is based on fairness and mutual respect, one that qualitatively differs from the approach that existed under the previous [US] administration”, he continued.

Kobakhidze further underscored his Government’s value-based alignment with the administration of President Donald Trump, especially on matters such as the role of organisations like USAID and NED, as well as issues relating to LGBT and gender-related propaganda.