Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze stated that they want a strategic partnership with the US not on paper, but based on the principle of equality between the two states—with concrete results and substance.
According to him, this was hindered by the Joe Biden administration in the past. However, today, Kobakhidze pointed out, the Donald Trump administration “is striving to the maximum to deepen US-China relations.”
Kobakhidze stressed that the Trump administration itself is seeking by all means to deepen relations with China, so in this context, Washington cannot have any objective criticism of Georgia.
“First of all, I would ask not to inform Joe Wilson about this briefing, and also not to inform him that his President, Donald Trump, was on an official visit to China. I think if he finds out about this, he will get nervous, and given his age, this is undesirable for him,” he stated, adding:
“The US, its administration, and the State Department are striving to the maximum to deepen US-China relations. Under such conditions, the US administration cannot have objective criticisms of Georgia for also striving to develop relations with China to the maximum.
<…> I hope that what I spoke about today will also serve as an example for the US administration. We spoke very frankly about this at our last meeting with State Department representatives. We told them that the strategic partnership with the United States in past years was a partnership only on paper and had no substance.
As for the strategic partnership with China—and now a comprehensive strategic partnership—this is not a partnership on paper; it has concrete substance and concrete results.
And we are telling the US administration that the restoration of the strategic partnership with Georgia must be approached in the same way—it must have substance, mutual benefit, and a roadmap.
Just as we work with China, we hope to work with the US administration in the future,” the Georgian Prime Minister concluded.