We remain a partner to the Georgian people. Over the last 30 years, in fact, we’ve become strategic partners. Such a statement made the Spokesperson of the Department of State.

“Let me just say that from the beginning this administration and the American people – we’ve stood in solidarity with the people of Georgia, and this is something that spans successive administrations. Over the course of successive administrations, we’ve stood with their desire to be a free and sovereign country within internationally recognized borders.

Despite recent damaging rhetoric from some Georgian political elites, this has not changed. We remain a partner to the Georgian people. Over the last 30 years, in fact, we’ve become strategic partners, working together toward our shared vision of Georgia, fully integrated into the Euro-Atlantic family of nations and part of a Europe that is whole, free, and at peace. This is a vision that takes political will. It takes hard work; it takes patience; it takes significant efforts to realize.

As part of that, the United States has allocated more than $6 billion in assistance funds to Georgia, training tens of thousands of Georgian soldiers, and sending thousands more to the United States for cultural and educational exchanges. We’ve also helped promote economic growth, the rule of law, and democratic governance, among many other initiatives with the Georgian people, with the Georgian Government.

We are open with the Georgian Government about the need to strengthen democratic institutions and processes, the rule of law, and human rights for all. The democratic backsliding that we’ve observed, that we’ve talked about even in recent days, is taking Georgia away from its stated goal of Euro-Atlantic integration; but even more importantly, it’s weakening its own democracy. It’s weakening the democracy that the Georgian people so clearly aspire to achieve.

We’ll continue to partner with the people of Georgia as they pursue a democratic, a prosperous, peaceful, and Euro-Atlantic future. And we urge the Georgian Government to implement the necessary reforms to acquire EU candidate status, and we stand ready to assist the government in doing so”, - said Ned Price.