Parliament Chairman Condemns Putin’s Remarks

Georgian Parliament Chairman Irakli Kobakhidze condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin's remarks on Wednesday regarding Georgia's potential membership of NATO.

On Monday, after the meeting between Putin and Trump in Helsinki, the Russian President told Fox News that his country would react extremely negatively to the membership of Georgia and Ukraine in NATO, seeing it as a security risk.

Kobakhidze stated that priority and ultimate goal of the Tbilisi administration was to get NATO membership, that Georgia is moving forward and that it is Georgia’s right to gain NATO membership after working so hard for it.

The integration of Georgia into NATO is also important for NATO, with it recognizing that Georgia has actively contributed to NATO-led operations and cooperates with the Allies and other partner countries in many other areas. NATO's support for Georgia’s reform efforts and its goal of integration in Euro-Atlantic institutions is high.

By Shawn Wayne