Russia demands NATO withdraw its membership pledges to Georgia and Ukraine

Georgia awaits response on NATO membership at Madrid Summit

photo_camera AFP/VANO SHLAMOV - People gather in front of the Parliament in Tbilisi in favour of partnership with the EU and NATO

 Tbilisi expects a "dignified" response on NATO membership at the upcoming Atlantic Alliance summit in Madrid, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashivili said today, as Russia demands that the military bloc withdraw its membership pledges to Ukraine and Georgia.

"One of our main tasks for 2022 is to ensure that the Georgian issue is worthily reflected at the NATO summit in Madrid," the head of government said during his annual report.

According to Garibashvikli, "Georgia's priority task in 2022 will also be to get NATO more involved in the Black Sea region".

On 10 December Russia demanded that NATO withdraw the promises made to Ukraine and Georgia at the 2008 Bucharest summit that they will be admitted to the Atlantic Alliance, as this means NATO's advance eastwards, one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's red lines.

Garibashvili stressed that Georgia will continue to "strengthen strategic relations with the US", while affirming that his country is a reliable partner of the West.

Regarding Russia, with which Georgia broke off diplomatic relations after the 2008 war and the recognition of the separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, he said that Tbilisi will maintain "a pragmatic peace policy" and will maintain its demands for the disengagement of these territories.

The next NATO summit is scheduled for 29-30 June 2022 in Madrid, where NATO leaders will discuss the agenda until 2030 and 'Russia's growing aggressiveness'. 

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