2019 Georgia-U.S. Political Cooperation Highlights

In 2019, the U.S. Congress initiated important resolutions and acts supporting Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, recognizing the country’s progress in European and Trans-Atlantic integration processes, and calling to expand the two nations’ economic and security partnership. Since 2017, U.S. Congressional support of Georgia has been growing, reaching its highest point by approving the Georgia Support Act at the end of 2018 and unanimously passing the act for a second time by the new House of Representatives in November 2019.

Standalone bi-partisan approval of the Georgia Support Act (H.R.598), which consists of provisions that reinforce and expand the unwavering support of the United States to Georgia and opposes the illegal Russian invasion and occupation of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions, was welcomed. The bill calls for increased security assistance to Georgia to enhance the country’s deterrence, resilience, and self-defense. It requires the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to improve Georgia’s capabilities to combat Russian disinformation and propaganda campaigns. The bill proposes sanctions on Russian actors in the occupied Georgian territories of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali linked to serious human rights abuses. Additionally, it addresses the U.S. Trade Representative to take measures to start negotiations on the Free Trade Agreement between the United States and Georgia.

The threat of Russia and its occupation of Georgian territories was again assailed in the Consolidated Appropriations Act FY 2020 (H.R. 1865), which was signed into law by President Trump in December 2019. Language highlighting the “occupation of Georgian territories” was first included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017 and was renewed over consecutive years. The FY 2020 Consolidated Appropriations Act approves the highest budget for Georgia in amount of $132,025,000 for assistance for Georgia. The Act condemns the Russian Federation for its unlawful actions in Georgia. This act prevents the central governments of nation states that have recognized the independence of Russian occupied territories Abkhazia and Tskhinvali/South Ossetia from receiving foreign aid from the United States.

National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2020 (S. 1790), which defines the policy and budgetary priorities of the U.S. Department of Defense for the 2020 fiscal year, referred to Georgia as a valuable friend and supports further Georgia-U.S. cooperation. The Act condemns Russia’s violations of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia, and Russia’s ongoing destabilizing and aggressive behavior that undermined peace, security, and stability in Europe and beyond.

In 2019, a dozen resolutions and bills expressing support towards Georgia were introduced in the U.S. House and Senate, including:

• Res. 510, a resolution affirming United States’ support to the nations of Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova in their effort to retain political sovereignty and territorial integrity. The resolution enhances cooperation between the United States and the nations of Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova, and calls for increased assistance to the Eastern European states in strengthening their capacity to resist the destabilizing activities of the Russian Federation, including in areas of defense and security.
• Res. 93 recognizing Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and condemning the decision by the Syrian Arab Republic, which is a client state of the Russian Federation, to recognize the independence of the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia/Tskhinvali region.
• Res. 417 reaffirms Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, and supports efforts to provide for Georgia’s defense of its people and sovereign territory.
• Res. 802 reaffirmed the 2008 Bucharest NATO Summit communique stating that, NATO welcomes Ukraine’s and Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations for membership in NATO.
• Res. 291 which underlines that the Russian Federation continues to undermine transatlantic unity and security, including through its invasions of Georgia and Ukraine.
• Res. 286 stressed that NATO has worked to deter Russian aggression, including responding to the illegal invasions and occupations of Georgia and Ukraine by the Russian Federation.
• Res. 3064, which, among other issues, condemns the Russian Federation’s continued occupation of Georgian and Ukrainian territories, threatening continental peace and stability.
• Res. 4209 highlights that Russia has attempted to deter or derail aspiring NATO members from achieving accession, as evidenced by aggression against Ukraine and Georgia.
• Res. 546 reiterates that it is the policy of the United States that the continued participation of the Russian Federation in the Group of Eight (G–8) nations should be conditioned on the Government of the Russian Federation respecting the territorial integrity of its neighbors and accepting and adhering to the norms and standards of free, democratic societies as generally practiced by every other member nation of the G–8 nations.
• S. 482 calls for the U.S. President to publicly call on the Government of the Russian Federation to return Crimea to the control of the Government of Ukraine, end its support for Russian-led forces violence in eastern Ukraine, end its occupation of and support for Russian-led forces on the territory of Georgia and Moldova. The bill states that amounts in the Countering Russian Influence Fund shall be used in countries of Europe and Eurasia the Secretary of State has determined are vulnerable to malign influence by the Russian Federation, including to respond to the humanitarian crises and instability caused or aggravated by the invasions and occupations of Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine by the Russian Federation.
• S. 2537 which reinstates the humanitarian crises and instability caused or aggravated by the invasions and occupations of Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine by the Russian Federation.
• S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Mark Warner (D-VA) sent the letter to the President Trump in August 2019, which expressed strong opposition to the readmission of President Putin and the Russian Federation to the Group of 7 (G7) industrialized democracies, since the Russian government has consistently demonstrated a persistent flouting of international norms and the rule of law, including its continued illegal occupation of Georgian territory.

Also throughout 2019, numerous Senate and House hearings were held where legislators emphasized U.S. support for Georgia and condemned the ongoing Russian occupation of the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia).

These resolutions and acts show that 2018’s record high U.S. support of Georgia continued to grow in 2019. The political and security cooperation between the two countries has never been better and the growing support of U.S. Congressmen toward a Free Trade Agreement between the U.S. and Georgia is yet unparalleled in these bilateral relations.