The Georgian Prime Minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, announced that he will meet with the US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, James  O’Brien, in the coming days.

Kobakhidze made this announcement during a briefing at the government administration, where he responded to questions from the media. He also mentioned that O’Brien will meet with the Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia, Shalva Papuashvili.

Regarding the topic of the meeting, the Prime Minister did not provide specific details, but he noted that the meeting is likely related to the consideration of the Transparency of Foreign Influence bill.

When asked about potential discussions on sanctions, Kobakhidze stated that blackmail involving sanctions is not in line with partnership relations and does not influence the government.

“The chairman of our party faces de facto sanctions, but these have not impacted his decisions. He consistently takes a principled stance when it comes to the country’s interests. He has rejected previous demands to return to politics in 2022, and the blackmail continued. Partners should not engage in blackmail, and blackmail does not impact on either the government or the people,” said Kobakhidze.