“It is our sincere wish that relations with the United States be reset, and it is their wish too; that much has become clear. Timing matters greatly because the previous administration left an enormous weight of negativity behind it. Our society could see it plainly, the attitude of that administration, and how profoundly the process has since changed,” said Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili, speaking to Georgian journalists in Slovakia.
Kavelashvili responded to the following question from journalists: “Yesterday, you expressed your readiness for dialogue with the European Union to be renewed once more. Another country from which we await dialogue is the United States. Today we again heard the Speaker of Parliament’s message that concrete reciprocal steps are expected from the partner with whom the strategic partnership has been suspended. What is the government’s offer, and how far will Georgian demands go?”
The President replied: “It is vitally important, when we speak through the media, that our citizens are as fully informed as possible. We constantly strive to be consistent in what we say at meetings and what we expect. You may recall the derision I faced during my visit to the United Nations, when I held meetings and raised this very issue, stating that it would be revisited in due course. Subsequently, I held meetings in Milan as well, with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. It was noted that work was underway on this matter and that they would certainly come back to us. Last week, a telephone conversation also took place with the Prime Minister. This is a consistent, unfolding process, one we have been speaking of, and one that is coming to fruition,” said Kavelashvili.
He added that “society can see the forces that watch all of this with mockery, can see what state they are in, and how diminished their existence has become.”
“It will diminish still further, because when an entire campaign is built on lies, disinformation, hatred, and polarisation, and is directed not at Georgia’s own citizens but at a narrow group, and when all of it is orchestrated from outside, with actors operating beyond Georgia’s borders carrying out instructions, the true nature of these people becomes ever more transparent. Our primary frame of reference is our own society and our citizens. I urge and implore them, despite any disinformation or speculation, to consistently pay attention to information from the government and from those of us who are in direct contact with representatives of various states. What matters most is how all of this concludes. We will continue along this course.
Of course, it is our sincere wish that this process be reset, and it is their wish too; that much is evident. Timing matters enormously because the previous administration left an immense burden of negativity. Our society saw it clearly, the attitude of that administration, and how fundamentally the process has now changed.
Most importantly, and this is something the visit to Slovakia has brought into sharp focus, Slovakia is a member of the European Union. It is our aspiration to become an EU member ourselves. And yet, we see what the European bureaucracy, Brussels, presumes to do. We see what it presumes to do even towards its own member states, such as Slovakia and Hungary. This no longer surprises us. In this process, it is precisely countries like Slovakia that give cause for hope. Closer cooperation with them is essential, so that our society may take a more pragmatic view of ongoing developments and of the scepticism and nihilism that flow from the actions of the Euro-bureaucrats.
We are not saying no, but we consistently point out what we see: an EU member state fighting for its own interests. It has become abundantly clear, for our country, what we want: we will not surrender our national interests, our sovereignty, or our vision under any circumstances whatsoever. From that foundation, we are always ready for dialogue, ready to discuss any matter. That is our given reality. No one can change it. We will continue along this pragmatic course,” said Mikheil Kavelashvili.
