US Senator urges NATO to approve Georgia’s MAP

A US Senator is urging the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) to grant Georgia with a Membership Action Plan (MAP) as it would send a strong message to Russia that pressuring other countries was unacceptable.

At a Foreign Relation Committee hearing of the US Senate on Wednesday, Senator Chris Murphy insisted action needed to be taken.

"Now is the time for NATO to approve the membership action plan for Georgia. If the fear of confrontation over Georgia has divided our allies in the past, imagine the message that we’ll send to Mr. Putin that not only will he fail to achieve his objectives through threats and bullying but that it’s actually counterproductive. I hope the Administration will make a MAP for Georgia a priority at the upcoming NATO Summit in Wales,” Murphy said. 

He called on the US Administration to increase the number of American troops involved in NATO’s response in the Eastern European region and the immediate termination of sales of weapons to Russia from the US and the European Union.

"Russia’s attempt to illegally annex Crimea and its continued menacing of Ukraine, Moldova and other Eastern European countries has put the security of the entire region in jeopardy. Now is the time to strengthen our transatlantic relationships and reassure our European allies that the security of the region remains a top priority for the United States,” Murphy said.