Speaker Papuashvili: New U.S. administration repeatedly invoked sovereignty, value Europeans have forgotten in dealings with Georgia

“The new United States administration repeatedly invoked the word “sovereignty” in its statement, a value that Europe has long ceased to observe in its relationship with Georgia,” Speaker of the Georgian Parliament Shalva Papuashvili has declared.

He added that Brussels remains a supporter of radicalism, anti-democratic forces and violence to this day.

“They still enjoy the backing of certain EU member states and Brussels in this radicalism. Regrettably, we have observed, particularly since the change of administration in America, that it is now Brussels that supports radicalism, Brussels that supports anti-democratic forces and violence.

What matters is that the Georgian people, through their wisdom and resilience, have brought things to the point where the new United States administration has repeatedly and explicitly invoked the word ‘sovereignty’ in its statement, the very value that Europeans have caused us to forget in our relationship with them. We can barely remember the last time anyone told us that our shared value is respect for sovereignty.

As a rule, that word tends to be used only alongside territorial integrity, not in the sense of non-interference in internal affairs. The value that the European Union has forgotten in its dealings with Georgia, the value called sovereignty, was invoked repeatedly and emphatically by the American delegation. They named it as a value shared between our two countries. Significantly, the new United States administration holds precisely this position. It is deeply regrettable that Brussels continues to champion radicalism and remains its sole patron in Georgia. It is therefore essential that change comes here too, in Brussels’ policy towards Georgia,” Papuashvili declared.

For context, the U.S. Embassy released the State Department’s official statement regarding meetings between State Department representatives and the Georgian government during the delegation’s visit to Georgia. The statement read: “The delegation conveyed to the Georgian government the Trump administration’s readiness for a constructive, forward-looking relationship, and its interest in opening a new chapter in bilateral relations between sovereign partners, built on mutual respect, shared interests, and candid dialogue. The sides discussed possible areas of convergence between the United States and Georgia, including: a shared commitment to national sovereignty, a fair economic environment, resilience against harmful external influences, and the foundational values that define both nations. This convergence provides a strong basis for advancing towards a deeper partnership.”