Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani said attendance at the Riga NATO Foreign Ministerial meeting is crucial for Georgia as an aspirant country. According to Zalkaliani, Georgia’s participation demonstrates the importance of the Georgia-NATO partnership. He stressed that Georgia has all the practical tools to become a NATO member.

“Our presence here is important as an aspirant country. It also demonstrates the importance of the NATO-Georgia partnership, and I believe that it is important to recognize the progress Georgia made towards NATO integration. It is obvious that we have all the practical tools for eventual membership. We are cooperating on the Black Sea security, and Georgia was one of the biggest contributors to Afghanistan. We entered Afghanistan together, and we withdrew together. Georgia contributed to the process of withdrawal and as a transit country helped our allies to evacuate people from Afghanistan,” Zalkaliani said in a doorstep statement.

Georgian Foreign Minister expressed hope for Georgia’s progress to be reflected in the declarations at the Riga Ministerial and upcoming 2022 NATO Summit.

“I believe that it is a good opportunity to speak about our expectations towards the next year’s NATO summit. And we believe that this progress which Georgia made toward membership should be reflected in the decisions and declarations at today’s ministerial as well as during the upcoming NATO summit in 2022,” Georgian FM said