Georgia looks for U.S. reset, but Washington’s South Caucasus focus lies elsewhere

A delegation from Georgia's ruling party visits Washington for a Congress and sovereignty summit this week, however analysts say Georgia remains largely absent from current U.S. regional priorities.

A party from the Georgian Dream travelled to Washington seeking to revive ties with the United States, holding meetings with several members of Congress and attending an international conference on sovereignty and security.

However, while Georgian officials described the visit as a sign of improving dialogue, the broader geopolitical picture suggests that Georgia is not currently at the centre of Washington’s South Caucasus agenda.

The delegation was led by Nikoloz Samkharadze, chairman of the parliamentary Foreign Relations Committee. According to Samkharadze, the group met several U.S. lawmakers during their visit to Capitol Hill.

“Today we finished our meetings in Congress - we had the opportunity to talk to five congressmen, mainly members of the Foreign Relations Committee,” he said.

Among those the delegation met were Keith Self, Chairman of the Europe Subcommittee, as well as Randy Fine, Mike Turner, Ryan Zinke, and Ana Paulina Luna.

The group also participated in the first summit organised by the Alliance of Sovereign Nations, an international gathering focused on sovereignty, national identity and cooperation between countries.

Georgian officials said discussions covered regional security, Russia’s occupation of Georgian territories, developments in Iran and the role of Georgia in the so-called Middle Corridor - a trade and transport route linking Europe and Asia through the South Caucasus.

Samkharadze said the Georgian side hopes to move relations with Washington “to a new stage”.

Relations strained in recent years

Georgia’s relationship with the United States has faced tensions in recent years. During the administration of Joe Biden, U.S. officials repeatedly raised concerns about democratic backsliding in Georgia.

These concerns affected political dialogue and limited some aspects of the traditionally close strategic partnership between the two countries.

Members of the Georgian Dream delegation said the tone in Washington now appears more pragmatic.

Mariam Lashkhi, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Science and Youth Affairs, said the rhetoric she encountered during meetings was different from what Georgian officials had previously heard.

“Our meetings are very pragmatic and concern not only restoring strategic cooperation between Georgia and the United States, but also improving it,” she said.

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Regional priorities shifting

Despite these diplomatic efforts, recent U.S. engagement in the South Caucasus has focused more heavily on other regional actors.

The administration of President Donald Trump has shown active involvement in diplomatic efforts between Armenia and Azerbaijan, particularly around the peace process following years of conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.

Washington has also supported regional connectivity initiatives tied to that process. One of the most widely discussed proposals is the Zangezur corridor, sometimes referred to in broader regional planning as part of the TRIPP road initiative, the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity.

The project will link Azerbaijan to its exclave of Nakhchivan through Armenia and connect broader trade routes between the Caspian region and Türkiye.

While Georgia supports regional connectivity projects and promotes the development of the Middle Corridor, these initiatives do not currently place the country at the centre of Washington’s diplomatic engagement in the region.

Middle Corridor ambitions

During meetings in Washington, Georgian officials highlighted their country’s role as a transit hub between Europe and Asia.

The Middle Corridor - which runs from Central Asia through the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan and Georgia before reaching Europe - has gained attention in recent years as an alternative trade route that bypasses Russia.

Members of the Georgian delegation said U.S. lawmakers showed interest in the project and Georgia’s position within it.

Still, discussions about the corridor remain largely strategic and long-term, and concrete policy shifts or new U.S. initiatives involving Georgia have not yet emerged from the meetings.

Competing outreach from the opposition

The visit by the ruling party also comes as Georgia’s newly formed opposition coalition - often referred to as the Opposition Alliance, which brings together several opposition parties - plans its own outreach to Washington.

Opposition leaders say they want to strengthen relations with Western partners and present themselves as an alternative political force in Georgia’s foreign policy direction.

The parallel diplomatic efforts highlight how relations with the United States remain a central issue in Georgia’s political debate.

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For now, however, the latest meetings in Washington appear to be an attempt to reopen dialogue rather than a clear sign of renewed strategic engagement.

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Georgia Politics News USA Washington US Congress