US facilitates military aid procedure for Georgia

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin has said that Washington has facilitated the procedure for Georgia to apply for military aid.

"I'm pleased to say that just last month, the department notified Congress of $33 million to fund equipment for this purpose, and today, I'm pleased to announce that we've approved Georgia for the risk-assessed payment schedule so Georgia will be able to request and acquire vital military capabilities more easily.  This announcement reflects the value that we place on our bilateral defence relationship and our partnership," Austin said in a meeting with his Georgian colleague Juansher Burchuladze in Washington on February 9, Pentagon's press service informs.

Austin added that Georgia has made significant contributions to global security by deploying its military alongside US and NATO forces in Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan.  

"In fact, Georgia was the largest per capita troop contributor to the NATO mission in Afghanistan, and Georgian troops served shoulder-to-shoulder with US Marines in Helmand Province.  So we deeply appreciate Georgia's outsized effect on security and stability in the South Caucus — the Caucasus and around the world, and our security partnership continues to deepen," said the Pentagon's chief.