US-Georgia “continue to do more across broad range of cooperative military activities” in 2023 - US Embassy

The United States Embassy in Georgia on Wednesday issued a statement on military cooperation between the two states in 2023 and stressed US-Georgia continued “to do more across a broad range of cooperative military activities”.

The Embassy emphasised that the US remained committed to enhancing its strategic partnership with Georgia and would continue “working together to make both Georgia and the US safer and more secure”. 

In 2023 both counties are “jointly focused” on maximising beneficial training opportunities to enhance Georgia’s critical capabilities, the Embassy noted, adding the states had “mutually decided” to focus resources on in-country, multinational exercises – Agile Spirit and Noble Partner – and build on their previous success to “most effectively strengthen” Georgia’s interoperability and its capacity for resilience and defence.

The statement followed claims by Teona Akubardia, an MP from the opposition Lelo party, who on Tuesday said the Georgian Defence Forces’ non-involvement in NATO exercises was a “gift to the Kremlin and damaging to our defence capabilities”.

The Georgian Defence Ministry also responded to Akubardia’s claims yesterday, calling it “another provocation” towards the Ministry and explained that based on the goals and objectives of the Defence Forces, through active communication with the main strategic partner, the US, they had decided to direct more efforts and resources at international and local exercises.

The Ministry also said it had been “constantly” participating in, as well as hosting, international drills to increase the combat capabilities of the Defence Forces.