Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili has concluded her official trip to the United States, where she attended the funeral of the late Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and conveyed Georgia’s security perspectives to policymakers and members of the media.
During former President Bill Clinton’s speech at the funeral for Madeleine Albright, Clinton thanked Zourabichvili for attending the service, saying “The President of Georgia is here today, and I’m very grateful for that.” The Georgian President paid her respects to the late Secretary by saying that she was “one of those historical figures who fought for a democracy we could all be proud of.”
President Zourabichvili also met with leading U.S. policymakers to discuss Georgia’s resistance to Russian aggression and the successful passage of the Georgia Support Act (GSA). After meeting with U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, the Congressman said that he “was glad to meet President of Georgia Zourabichvili. Her country’s resistance to Russian tyranny should inspire us all. I proudly stand with Georgia.” Additionally, the President met with U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, where she conveyed her gratitude for the passage of the historic GSA and highlighted the strategic partnership between the U.S. and Georgia.
Meeting with media representatives, President Zourabichvili stressed that the international community must remember the countries around Ukraine that are also threatened by Russian aggression and emphasized that Georgia must not be forgotten. In an interview with NPR, the President said that “what I want to convey is that it’s important that while dealing with the Ukraine issue… it’s important not to forget two other countries, Moldova and Georgia.” Additionally, Zourabichvili told Foreign Policy that, “I think that it’s the time for Georgia to be more clearly in the mind of everyone. Because we are, together with Moldova, we are the two countries that are on the “front lines” close to Russia.”