Former British MEP: Georgia’s Ascension into NATO is in Fact Well Underway

We should not forget other friends such as Georgia, on Europe’s vital eastern flank, one of just six Black Sea states, and a country where Britain has interests at stake, - British politician and a former Member of the European Parliament, Geoffrey Van Orden, said in an article published by New Europe.

Van Orden highlighted that “when NATO’s cohesion is under threat, and most European allies spend far too little on defense, Georgia is regarded as one of NATO’s closest operational partners. It contributes troops to the NATO missions in Afghanistan at a higher level proportionately than any other country".

The former military officer also commented on the pro-western vector of the Georgian government and added that “the pro-Western government in Tbilisi is determined to fulfill the decision made by NATO at its 2008 Bucharest Summit that Georgia will become a member of the Alliance. This is a goal shared both by the ruling Georgian Dream party and by the population at large, where support for NATO membership runs at around 80%”.

Orden stressed that “Britain is no stranger to the Caucasus and fully supports Georgia’s economic and security aspirations, including Georgia’s integration into European and Euro-Atlantic structures." He added that “a small country, 20% of which has been illegally occupied by Russia since 2008, joining the largest Western military alliance – the process is in fact well underway.”

Currently heading two consulting companies, the former representative underlined Georgian and British relationships post-Brexit and what would that entail. “Georgia was among the first of our friends to back post-Brexit Britain and seek a close future partnership. In return, we must now show our good faith and strengthen our relationship both with Georgia and with its friendly neighbors,” Van Orden stated.

By Beka Alexishvili