Speaker of the Georgian Parliament Shalva Papuashvili has commented on the future of Georgian-American relations, emphasizing that for Georgia, the key criterion for a genuine improvement is the formation of a new strategic partnership with the United States.
The politician added that final conclusions regarding the development of relations are expected in May, when, according to the Speaker, it will become clear whether a real “reset” will take place.
Papuashvili noted that following a conversation between the Prime Minister of Georgia and the US Secretary of State, both sides expressed a mutual desire to reset relations. They also agreed on a commitment to improve bilateral relations.
He reiterated that the current unacceptable state of Georgian-American relations is solely due to the actions of the previous US administration and is not the fault of Georgia.
“May will come — and we shall see. The main point here is this: after the conversation between the Prime Minister of Georgia and the US Secretary of State took place, the primary objective was identified and an agreement was reached on the key issue — that there is a desire on both sides to reset relations.
On our part, we stated what our criterion is for saying that a reset has indeed occurred. Our main criterion is the formation of a new strategic partnership,” stated Shalva Papuashvili.
As a reminder, the first telephone conversation between the Prime Minister of Georgia and the US Secretary of State took place in late March 2026. This marked the first full-scale communication between Irakli Kobakhidze and a high-ranking State Department official after a prolonged hiatus in Georgian-American relations. The ruling “Georgian Dream” (Kartuli Otsneba) party blames the previous administration under President Joe Biden for this pause, citing the influence of the “Deep State.”
At the time, Kobakhidze noted that the parties “emphasized the importance of renewing our partnership and strengthening Georgia’s role as a reliable partner in the South Caucasus.”
Responding to a question about Georgian-American relations in mid-February 2026, the Georgian Prime Minister stated that Tbilisi had repeatedly expressed its position regarding Washington. Georgia is ready to resume the strategic partnership with the US — this is a “very clear position, and we are waiting for steps in return,” he added.
Kobakhidze emphasized that the country’s authorities would wait for reciprocal steps from the Trump Administration for as long as necessary, noting that the restoration of relations with the United States depends on the American side.
US-Georgia relations currently leave much to be desired. The previous administration of President Joe Biden imposed sanctions against the founder of “Georgian Dream,” Bidzina Ivanishvili, as well as against former Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri and the former Deputy Director of the Special Tasks Department (STD, special forces), Mirza Kezevadze, for repressions against participants of pro-European protests.
Furthermore, the strategic partnership between the two countries has been suspended.
Cooperation persists primarily in the fields of security, defense, and economic assistance. Washington continues to support Georgia’s territorial integrity and its course toward integration into NATO and the EU. Joint military exercises and training programs for Georgian forces are conducted regularly.
