Former Commanding General of US Army Europe: We Must Invite Georgia to NATO Now
Former Commanding General of United States Army Europe, Ben Hodges, believes Georgia should be invited to join NATO now. He made the relevant statement during an online discussion organized by the analytical organization GeoCase.
The American general spoke about the strategic importance of the Black Sea region and said that the US and NATO should be more focused on this region. He believes that Georgia should have become a member of NATO by now.
"The Kremlin has no right to veto what the Georgian people, the Alliance, or the European Union want to do," Hodges said.
The former Commanding General of United States Army Europe also listed the steps that he believes the US should take to support Georgia.
"First - let's invite Georgia to NATO now. We have a precedent, West Germany became a member of NATO when Soviet troops were stationed in East Germany. So there is a precedent for inviting a state to NATO even if part of it is occupied by Russia," Ben Hodges said.
He called for another step, to conduct more and larger military exercises. The general considers the third step to be investing in military infrastructure in Georgia.
According to a senior US military official, Georgia and Ukraine should work together to raise awareness and attract investment. He also spoke about the port of Anaklia and noted that he was disappointed with the suspension of the port project.
"I am very disappointed that the Anaklia project was not implemented. Georgia was serious about economic development. Georgia seriously intended to become a connecting portal. The construction of the Anaklia port is the last thing the Kremlin might want. The Kremlin does not want large Western investments in Georgia because that way the West will pay more attention to the fact that Russia has so far occupied 20% of Georgia," Ben Hodges said.
At the same time, he noted that the United States should continue to support Georgia as Georgia seeks to improve electoral transparency, media freedom, and government transparency.
"The United States must also stand by Georgia when it comes to facing the Kremlin. The United States must make it clear that it stands by Georgia," Hodges said.
By Ana Dumbadze