Georgian, UK Officials Discuss Bilateral Ties, Strategic Dialogue
By Messenger Staff
Thursday, August 6, 2026
First Deputy Foreign Minister Giorgi Zurabashvili met on August 5 with Mark Clayton, deputy director of the UK Foreign Office's Eastern Europe and Central Asia Directorate, to discuss bilateral relations, regional security and Georgia's European integration, the Georgian Foreign Ministry said.
Clayton, a former UK ambassador to Georgia, was part of a British Foreign Office delegation. UK Ambassador to Georgia Gareth Ward also attended the meeting.
According to the ministry, the sides discussed bilateral and multilateral cooperation and stressed the importance of restoring the existing strategic dialogue formats between Georgia and the United Kingdom.
The talks also covered Georgia's European and Euro-Atlantic integration. Zurabashvili reiterated what the ministry described as "the irreversibility of our country's European choice."
The officials discussed regional security and the situation in Georgia's Russian-occupied regions. The ministry said the UK reaffirmed its "unwavering support" for Georgia's sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-recognition policy.
The meeting also addressed political developments in Georgia and broader UK-Georgia relations. According to the ministry, both sides expressed readiness to deepen cooperation and strengthen the partnership based on mutual respect.
The talks come as relations between Tbilisi and London remain strained despite recent efforts to promote economic cooperation, including July meetings involving the London Stock Exchange Group and British investors.
In recent months, the UK has taken several measures involving Georgia, including sanctioning three Georgia-registered companies accused of helping Russia evade international sanctions, as well as pro-government broadcasters Imedi TV and POSTV over what London described as the spread of Russian disinformation about the war in Ukraine.
