Kobakhidze, US Envoy Mark 250th Independence Day, Point to Deepening Partnership
By Messenger Staff
Thursday, July 2, 2026
Georgia has been a loyal, reliable and responsible partner of the United States for decades, Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said at a reception marking the 250th anniversary of American independence, held at the US embassy in Tbilisi.
Kobakhidze said Georgia has consistently backed Washington on regional security matters. "When the United States of America needed cooperation with Georgia to implement its strategic priorities, Georgia, as a loyal partner, responded with strong support," he said. He argued that the South Caucasus carries growing strategic weight both regionally and globally, driven by its geographic location, economic significance and geopolitical factors, and that Georgia's role within that shifting landscape is critical.
He called for the two countries to relaunch their strategic partnership with a defined roadmap. "Despite the challenges that have arisen in recent years, we continue to believe that the time has come to relaunch our strategic partnership with a concrete roadmap that defines shared priorities, practical mechanisms for cooperation, and clear strategic goals," he said, describing the partnership Georgia is offering as one built on mutual respect, fairness and a clear framework for cooperation. He said Tbilisi is ready to pursue shared priorities through direct dialogue and deliver tangible results for both sides, and closed with congratulations to the American people on the anniversary.
US Chargé d'Affaires Alan Purcell struck a similar note, pointing to more than three decades of cooperation between Washington and Tbilisi across the military, law enforcement, business, education and health sectors. He cited the expansion of the new seaport in Poti, backed by a loan from the US International Development Finance Corporation, as the most recent example, noting he had joined Kobakhidze there for the announcement the previous week.
Purcell tied the anniversary to the Declaration of Independence's adoption in Philadelphia 250 years ago this week, saying America's founding principles continue to underpin its partnerships abroad, Georgia included. He said people-to-people ties have long been a priority, with U.S. exchange programs opening educational and professional opportunities for thousands of Georgian students, teachers and professionals over the years. He reaffirmed that Washington remains unwavering in its support for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, and pointed to Georgian and American forces having served together abroad as one of the relationship's most consequential achievements, saying the losses suffered in that shared service continue to bind the two nations.
