US suspends strategic partnership with Georgia over democratic setbacks

The United States has announced the suspension of its strategic partnership with Georgia, citing democratic backsliding and the Georgian government’s decision to halt its pursuit of European Union membership.

US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller delivered a pointed statement outlining Washington’s concerns, particularly the ruling Georgian Dream party’s move to suspend the country's EU accession process, Caliber.Az reports.

“The decision by Georgian Dream to suspend Georgia’s EU accession process goes against the promise to the Georgian people enshrined in their constitution to pursue full integration into the European Union and NATO,” Miller said. “By suspending Georgia’s EU accession process, Georgian Dream has rejected the opportunity for closer ties with Europe and made Georgia more vulnerable to the Kremlin.”

Miller emphasized that the Georgian public overwhelmingly supports integration with Europe and expressed disappointment over the government's divergence from this path.

The US also condemned the government’s handling of domestic unrest, particularly police actions against demonstrators. “The United States condemns the excessive use of force by police against Georgians seeking to exercise their rights to assembly and expression, including their freedom to peacefully protest,” Miller stated, urging all sides to ensure protests remain peaceful.

The suspension of the strategic partnership marks a significant setback in US-Georgia relations. Miller accused Georgian Dream of violating the foundational principles of the partnership, which was built on “shared values and commitments to democracy, rule of law, civil society, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and anti-corruption efforts.”

As part of its demands, the US called on the Georgian government to take immediate corrective actions: “We reiterate our call to the Georgian government to return to its Euro-Atlantic path, transparently investigate all parliamentary election irregularities, and repeal anti-democratic laws that limit freedoms of assembly and expression.”

This development underscores growing international concern over Georgia’s political trajectory and its implications for regional stability.