Georgia's ex-president seeks stronger ties with Trump to counter Russia's regional influence

Former Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili is on a diplomatic mission in the United States, aiming to highlight her country’s strategic significance to former President Donald Trump and his incoming “America First” foreign policy team.

Her goal is to secure stronger U.S. support in safeguarding Georgia against Russian aggression, Caliber.Az reports via US media.

Zourabichvili, Georgia’s fifth president, emphasized the importance of U.S. involvement in countering Russian influence in the South Caucasus, where Moscow’s forces have occupied 20% of Georgian territory since the 2008 invasion. She described the region as a critical front for American interests.

Speaking to reporters in Washington, Zourabichvili reflected on the challenges of navigating U.S. diplomacy under President Joe Biden’s administration, which, she noted, adhered strictly to protocol. “I couldn’t get to have even a phone call with the vice president when she was elected,” she said.

In contrast, the Georgian leader leveraged personal connections to secure a brief meeting with Trump last December. French President Emmanuel Macron facilitated the introduction during a rededication ceremony at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Zourabichvili used the opportunity to underscore the threats posed by Russia, which she accused of using Georgia as “a playground” for its geopolitical ambitions.

Mass protests in Georgia have underscored mounting domestic tensions, with demonstrators opposing the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party’s pro-Kremlin policies. The government has halted EU accession talks, strengthened ties with China, and engaged in high-level dialogue with Iran, sparking fears of a geopolitical pivot.

Zourabichvili expressed optimism about Trump’s familiarity with Georgia, referencing his previous visits to the country and a shelved project to build a residential tower in Batumi, abandoned when Trump assumed the presidency in 2016.

“I had the chance to tell him that this was a strategic region that cannot be forgotten by the United States,” Zourabichvili said. “He knows Georgia; it was not an abstract moment.”

The president’s visit to Washington comes as Georgia faces mounting pressure to counter Russian aggression while navigating its political and economic future amid shifting global alliances.

By Khagan Isayev