US Deputy Secretary of State Daniel Fried, who worked for decades in the US foreign policy structures and in various times oversaw the issues of Europe and Eurasia, left the administration and responded to the questions of the public at the "Center for Strategic and International Studies" regarding his diplomatic career.

During the 2008 war Fried was the deputy of Condoleezza Rice for Eurasian Affairs and the region of Georgia was subordinated to him. In an interview with the "Courier" , the diplomat acknowledged that the realization of the Russian threat was belated in the United States

"I do not think that even after the Russian-Georgian war, we realized how seriously Russia was going to use force to stop the accession of its neighbors in institutions of free world. The United States has learned, however, that the invasion of Ukraine was to realize how serious the Russian threat was. I am glad that Georgia survived and the rest of Georgia is still a free country, "said Daniel Fried.

When speaking about the reset policy initiated by the Obama administration in the aftermath of Russian aggression in Georgia, Daniel Fried also noted that the US administration has not let down the interests of allies in exchange for this policy.

"You may ask why Russia hawas not sanctioned safter the Russian-Georgian war. Why we ha d to face Ukrainian events to impose sanctions? The answer is that the political influence and the turm of Bush administration was expiring , and secondly, Europe was divided over Georgia. And now, in my opinion, we are more and more united and Georgia is still free, "- said Daniel Fried.

The US deputy secretary of state welcomes NATO expansion, although he thinks it will not happen soon. According to him, Georgia as a free country should strengthen relations with the West, get strengthened as a country and to wait for a favorable time for membership