MP Makhashvili: Marco Rubio’s call signals hope for stronger US-Georgia relations

“We welcome Marco Rubio’s call for many reasons. Many issues of concern to both Georgia and the United States were discussed,” Levan Makhashvili, Chairman of the Parliament’s European Integration Committee, told the GPB First Channel.

“We heard a lot of interesting things from the American side. On a political level, this is an important signal that the reset of our relations is on the right track. We hope that in the near future, we will achieve even more tangible results in political and sectoral cooperation. The ice has long been broken, but this call shows society that these steps are now being translated into concrete political action. Although we are not fully satisfied with the pace of the reset, this conversation gives us hope that the U.S. will take more responsive and timely steps to improve relations.

We also see the efforts of radicals to damage bilateral relations, both under the previous administration and now, even by downplaying the importance of this call. Still, the public sees that we are taking the right path and working to reset relations while safeguarding the country’s interests,” Makhashvili added.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a phone conversation with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, the U.S. State Department announced on March 30. According to State Department Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott, “Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Georgia Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze today. They discussed areas of mutual interest, including security in the Caucasus and Black Sea region.”

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze reported having a productive phone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, focusing on “resetting the partnership” and Georgia’s role in the Caucasus region.