"The Perfect Opportunity to Advance the U.S.–Georgian Defense Relationship"

The Heritage Foundation’s Luke Coffey has published an analysis around Georgia’s Security and NATO integration. “U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter will meet with his Georgian counterpart, Tinatin Khidasheli, the week of 17th August. Having recently been appointed as defense minister (and the first female defense minister in Georgia’s history), this will be Khidasheli’s first meeting at the Pentagon in her new role” – the article says.

According to Coffey, Georgia has been a steadfast ally of the United States, and Khidasheli has been a leading voice inside Georgia for closer ties with the U.S. and NATO. “Thousands of Georgian troops have served alongside U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. Dozens have been wounded. In Afghanistan alone, 30 Georgian soldiers have made the ultimate sacrifice.”

“This meeting offers an opportunity for Secretary Carter to thank Georgia for its continued contribution in Afghanistan, congratulate Georgia on its military reforms, and lay the groundwork for deeper bilateral cooperation” – he maintains.

The full publication available here.