Georgian President: US to prepare technical team to rebuild relations with Georgia

Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili on Sunday said that the United States was preparing the ground to restore bilateral relations with Georgia after inheriting significant negativity from the previous administration.

In his interview with Imedi TV, Kavelashvili noted that particular importance was attached to the second day of meetings with world leaders at the ongoing Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games, when only country leaders attended a ceremonial reception hosted by the President of Italy, as it provided another opportunity for discussions.

He added that US Vice President JD Vance greeted the Georgian delegation, after which US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spent additional time with them, allowing for a deeper and more substantive discussion.

“He said - and I want our public to know this - that they encountered a great deal of negativity toward Georgia from the previous administration. He even used a term that is difficult to translate directly into English, describing just how severe this negativity was. They themselves understand that this approach was unrealistic and inappropriate toward our country. He noted that discussions on this very issue took place last Monday, that they thoroughly reviewed and analysed the process, and that they are currently working to clear this negativity from our relations. In the near future, they will certainly prepare properly so that our relations can be restored”, Kavelashvili said.

He further noted that Marco Rubio was well-informed about the issues discussed the previous day with J.D. Vance, including shared values and the fact that Donald Trump positioned himself around these values both before and after his election victory.

“Our position is open, and we speak openly to our society. At this stage, everyone knows our message - that we want to have normal, healthy relations, as we do with our partners. Of course, the United States is of particular importance, as it is a powerful country with global influence. We had a strategic partnership, and due to the deliberate actions of the previous administration and certain forces that continue to try to damage many processes even today, they themselves have to confront these forces. This was the context of the discussion. He said directly that discussions on this issue took place last Monday and that the level of negativity was so significant that time is needed to thoroughly analyse everything and establish relations with Georgia in a manner befitting their country”, the President noted.

“He also stated that a technical team will be prepared so that, in an analytical framework, it will be possible to restart our relations from a clean slate”, Kavelashvili concluded.

Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili and Minister of Foreign Affairs Maka Botchorishvili attended an official reception hosted by the President of the International Olympic Committee Kirsty Coventry.

During the event, President Kavelashvili and Minister Botchorishvili met with leaders from various countries, including US Vice President JD Vance and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.