“I do not rule out restoring relations with the U.S. to a certain extent, but restoring strategic relations, like those we had until 2023, seems unrealistic to me,” said former diplomat and “Geocase” researcher Nikoloz Khatiashvili on the “Resume” program on PalitraNews.

According to Khatiashvili, if Georgia wants to restore relations with the U.S., it must demonstrate what benefits it can bring to the United States.

“One must consider the U.S.’s transactional approach toward countries. Previously, the U.S. might have viewed some countries strategically and perhaps had no other interest, but today it looks at mutually beneficial relations. If we want to restore certain relations, Georgia must show what benefit it can offer the U.S., in what projects or initiatives the U.S. could engage, so that both states gain. I believe that in this context, restoring relations is possible,” Khatiashvili said.

Khatiashvili also noted that U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance’s visit to Armenia and the statements made there indicate that while Georgia was for years the uncontested partner of the U.S. in the region, Armenia has now emerged as a serious competitor for Georgia in the region.

“This visit is very important not only in the Armenian context but also regionally. For years, U.S.-Armenia relations were not this close, mainly because of significant Russian influence in Armenia. In our region, Georgia, as a pro-Western state, has always been the main foothold for the U.S. While Georgia was for years the uncontested partner of the U.S. in the regional context, Armenia has now become a new player — a serious competitor in the region, which has become very important. Accordingly, all the projects we heard about, if implemented, will have not only economic benefits but also political significance, and they will automatically bring security guarantees to Armenia, which will positively affect the region as a whole,” Nikoloz Khatiashvili said.