Georgian Defence Minister hosts US State Dept Counselor
The sides discussed security challenges in the world and in the Black Sea region, noting that the Russian invasion of Ukraine had “sharply worsened” the security situation in the region and posed a threat to the Euro-Atlantic security architecture. Photo: Ministry of Defence.
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Georgian Defence Minister Juansher Burchuladze on Thursday hosted Derek Chollet, the Counselor of the United States Department of State, who is visiting Tbilisi on Wednesday and Thursday for consultations with Georgian partners about European security and democratic development.
At the meeting, the Georgian Minister emphasised the 30-year “successful cooperation” between the two countries and thanked the US Government and the American people for their “exemplary partnership,” Ministry of Defence said.
The sides discussed security challenges in the world and in the Black Sea region, noting that the Russian invasion of Ukraine had “sharply worsened” the security situation in the region and posed a threat to the Euro-Atlantic security architecture.
The high-ranking officials also reviewed reforms and future plans for strengthening Georgia's defence capabilities. The new US-Georgia Defence and Detention Initiative was cited to mark a new stage of the partnership and serve as a basis for the “next ten years of dynamic cooperation” to further strengthen the country's resilience within the framework of total defence.
The US official, flanked by an interagency delegation, also held a meeting with representatives of Georgian non-governmental organisations, the local opposition and civil society representatives for discussions on Russia’s continuing occupation of regions of Georgia and its war against Ukraine.
Derek Chollet, the Counselor of the US Department of State, expressed his support for Ukraine and Georgia amid the invasion of the former and occupation of the latter by Russia, in a conversation with Georgian foreign minister David Zalkaliani.
Derek Chollet, the Counselor of the United States Department of State, said on Wednesday he would discuss a “shared vision” of Georgia “fully integrated into the Euro-Atlantic family of nations” during his visit to Tbilisi, which started today.
The strategic Georgia-United States partnership and Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration questions were discussed on Monday in a conversation between Ambassador of Georgia to the United States David Zalkaliani and the Counselor of the US Department of State Derek Chollet.
Derek Chollet, the Counselor of the United States Department of State, will visit Tbilisi on Wednesday and Thursday for consultations with Georgian partners about European security and democratic development, the State Department said on Monday.
Strategic partnership between Georgia and the United States and prospects for future cooperation were discussed on Thursday between Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and Derek Chollet, the Counselor of the US Department of State in Tbilisi.
The United States-Georgia Strategic partnership and the difficult security environment in the Black Sea region amid the Russian aggression in Ukraine were discussed on Thursday in a meeting between the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Lasha Darsalia and Derek Chollet, the Counselor of the US Department of State.
The United States welcomes Georgia’s “active support” in multilateral efforts to call out Russian aggression and to support the Ukrainian people, Derek Chollet, the Counselor of the US Department of State, said following his meeting with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Thursday.
Georgian Defence Minister Juansher Burchuladze noted “great challenges” for non-NATO member states in Europe on the backdrop of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while also detailing measures for increasing Georgian Defence Forces capabilities and the Ministry’s work for improving the livelihoods of servicemembers, in a Parliament address on Thursday.