US Secretary of Defense to Visit Georgia Next Week
By Khatia Bzhalava
Thursday, October 14
According to Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will visit Georgia next week. As part of his European tour, he will also visit two other Black Sea countries, Ukraine and Romania. According to Kirby, this visit will end with the NATO Defense Ministerial in Brussels, which will be held on October 21-22. Kirby has not specified the exact date of Austin's visit.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani has confirmed the information and stated that the visit of US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to Georgia next week is ‘historic’ and points to the strategic partnership between the countries, which is based on "common values, interests, and goals." According to the minister, it's expected that the meetings will focus on deepening bilateral cooperation, as well as regional security and the process of Georgia's integration into NATO.
Zalkaliani noted that such a high-ranking visit by Georgia’s key strategic partner is another clear message of support for Georgia’s territorial integrity, its stable and democratic development, and the Euro-Atlantic aspirations.
“The United States and Georgia are long-time partners in the defence field, which plays a ‘crucial role’ in improving Georgia’s compliance with NATO standards. Georgia is the loyal ally and partner of the US in the region, supporting the country’s efforts to strengthen both regional and international security,” stated the Minister, adding that Georgian and American soldiers have been standing side-by-side for years, including in Afghanistan, to strengthen Euro-Atlantic security.
As Zalkaliani noted, the visit will significantly contribute to further deepening the existing partnership between the countries.
