Georgia’s US Ambassador: participation in NATO Summit “step forward” in integration into alliance

David Zalkaliani, the Georgian Ambassador to the United States, on Monday said the invitation for Georgian officials to participate at the upcoming NATO Summit in Washington, set to be held between Tuesday and Thursday, was a “step forward” in integration into the alliance.

Zalkaliani said Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili, who is set to lead the country’s delegation, would participate in several formats at the Summit, with one of the important formats being a meeting with foreign ministers of member countries of the alliance.

He also noted Darchiashvili would have the opportunity to introduce his counterparts to the Government's position regarding security challenges in the Black Sea region.

Of course, the Black Sea and the Black Sea security system will be of particular interest. From this point of view, I think it will be an extremely interesting Summit, and Georgia will have the opportunity, together with its partners, foreign ministers of the alliance member countries, to discuss challenges facing the country again”, the Ambassador said.

As you know, after the Bucharest summit, the situation changed very quickly and dynamically in the entire region, globally. Especially in two or three years, after Russia's aggression in Ukraine, NATO is facing new challenges, and this circumstance also dictates other integration processes. Georgia cannot be considered isolated and detached from these processes”, he added.

While commenting on whether there would be a note made about the bloc’s open door policy in the Summit declaration, the Ambassador said the Georgian side expected the country's progress for integration would be “adequately assessed”.