Georgian Ambassador to the U.S. David Zalkaliani lauded the introduction of new legislation by Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Mitt Romney to increase U.S. security assistance and support for Georgia and other Black Sea countries, stating that the move marked “the first time” the Senate asked a U.S. administration to develop a strategy for the region.
“It is an important bipartisan legislative initiative that should define the U.S. strategy for the Black Sea region. This is the first time that the U.S. Senate addresses the administration to develop a strategy for the Black Sea region, and it includes the definition of the Black Sea region, which directly refers to Georgia as well,” Ambassador Zalkaliani said.
The new piece of legislation would direct the Biden Administration to develop a Black Sea strategy due to the region “increasingly [becoming] a critical inflection point for European and global security amid Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked war in Ukraine.” The legislation calls on the administration to increase military assistance for other Black Sea countries, including Ukraine, Romania, and Bulgaria.
“Putin has already demonstrated the high strategic value he places upon the Black Sea region by invading Georgia in 2008, followed by his annexation of Crimea in 2014 and further invasion of Ukraine this year. Control over access to the Black Sea is fundamental to his delusional dream of building a Russian empire and the United States cannot allow that to happen,” Senator Shaheen said. Senator Romney added that the U.S. must have “both a strategy and presence” in the region.