US senators visit Georgia before Trump takes oath
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Wednesday, January 4
The US Senators John McCain, Lindsey Graham and Amy Klobuchar arrived in Georgia on January 1 and met Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili to discuss the US' policy towards Russia with its Eastern European partners. Kvirikashv i thanked the senators for visiting Georgia and evaluated their arrival as a sign of the US’ “strong support to Georgia”.
“We have been and will be the US most reliable partners in the region,” Kvirikashvili told the senators.
The PM informed the guests about the situation in Georgia’s two breakaway regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia), which are now occupied by Russia.
For their part, the senators praised Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations, as well as the country’s role for protecting international peace and fighting against terrorism.
They vowed that the US would continue supporting Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic goals.
The Washington Post announced in November that senators from the Republican Party would visit Georgia, Ukraine and Estonia before January 20 to discuss the US' policy towards Russia with its Eastern European partners.
The Washington Post wrote the visit would take place before January 20, when US President-elect Donald Trump takes his oath as a president.
It said the aim of the trip was to "reassure the European partners that Washington is still committed to confront Russian aggression”.
“Before Trump takes the oath of office, McCain and Graham will lead a congressional delegation to Ukraine, Georgia and Estonia,” the Washington Post announced.
Since the US elected Trump as the 45th President of the United States through the November 8 Presidential Election, in which he defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton, the Government of Georgia said it was confident of ensuring its close partnership with the US under the new President.
During the meeting with the senators, Kvirikashvili expressed his own appreciation of the partnership.
