Georgian Dream MPs Nikoloz Samkharadze, Mariam Lashkhi, and Lika Shartava, together with People’s Power MP Eka Sepashvili, visited the United States to attend the inaugural summit of the Alliance of Sovereign Nations on March 4-5, at the invitation of controversial U.S. Republican Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna. Led by Samkharadze, the delegation also held meetings with U.S. officials.
The visit comes amid continued uncertainty in bilateral relations. The U.S. under President Joe Biden suspended the strategic partnership with Georgia in November 2024, and a month later, sanctioned Georgian Dream founder and honorary chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili.
Washington under President Donald Trump has remained largely silent toward Tbilisi, despite Georgian Dream’s repeated claims about “shared values” and stated efforts to reset relations “from a clean slate.”
Meeting with Senator Steve Daines
The delegation, joined by Georgian Ambassador Tamar Taliashvili, met on March 3 with Senator Steve Daines, a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Daines visited Georgia in May 2025 and met with representatives of both the Georgian Dream government and the opposition.
“The primary focus of the meeting was the improvement of Georgian-American relations and the restoration of the strategic partnership between the two countries,” the Georgian Parliament press release said. According to it, MP Nikoloz Samkharadze, who heads the delegation, noted that the Georgian side is “committed” to restoring the strategic partnership and to beginning a “new chapter in developing even deeper and mutually beneficial relations.” According to the press release, the parties paid particular attention to strengthening the “economic component” of bilateral relations.
The meeting also covered the “security environment” in the South Caucasus, with the MPs underscoring the “threats arising from the occupation.” The sides also discussed the importance of the Middle Corridor and “Georgia’s strategic role within it.” According to the press release, they additionally discussed ongoing developments in the Middle East and “their potential impact on regional security.”
MP Nikoloz Samkharadze said the meeting was held in “a very engaging” and “friendly” atmosphere.
Meeting with Brendan Hanrahan
On March 3, the Georgian Parliament also reported on MP Nikoloz Samkharadze’s meeting with Brendan Hanrahan, the U.S. State Department’s Senior Bureau Official for European and Eurasian Affairs. In early February, Hanrahan met with Georgian Dream Deputy Foreign Minister Lasha Darsalia.
The release said the sides paid particular attention to the “alignment of values” between the Georgian Dream government and what it still calls the “new” administration in the U.S. It added that they discussed the “areas of cooperation” aimed at delivering “mutual benefits” to both countries. Samkharadze also said the sides identified “several areas that will strengthen our renewed cooperation.”
The press release further said the discussions addressed Georgia’s “security challenges” and the “threats arising from Russia’s occupation.” The sides also discussed the development of the Middle Corridor, including the Trump Route, with Samkharadze welcoming the project’s implementation, saying, “We consider it not an alternative to the Middle Corridor and Georgia’s route, but rather a complementary factor.” According to the press release, they also discussed issues of “economic cooperation and the participation of American companies in major economic projects.”
“Great exchange with Brendan Hanrahan about Georgia-USA relations, threats stemming from occupation of Georgian territories by Russia, security challenges in wider Black Sea region, Middle Corridor/TRIPP and bilateral economic cooperation,” Nikoloz Samkharadze wrote on X.
The meeting came amid concerns over Georgia’s transit role following the announcement of the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), a proposed transit connecting mainland Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic through southern Armenia, that could bypass Georgia.
Meeting at Quincy Institute
On March 4, the Georgian Parliament reported that the delegation met with Anatol Lieven, Director of the Eurasia Program the Andrew Bacevich Chair in American Diplomatic History at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, as well as with the institute’s researchers.
According to the press release, the discussions covered the foreign policy of President Donald Trump’s administration, including its approach toward the South Caucasus region.
They also reportedly discussed current developments in the Middle East, the Russia-Ukraine war, and U.S. policy approaches in this regard. The sides also discussed current developments in Georgia, as well as the prospects of the Middle Corridor and the U.S. administration’s vision in this context, the press release said.
Meeting with Deputy National Security Advisor Andrew Baker
Delegation head Nikoloz Samkharadze met with U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser Andrew Baker, the Georgian Parliament reported on March 4, publishing a photo of the two together with Tamar Taliashvili, Georgia’s ambassador to the United States, and Charles J. McLaughlin IV, Special Assistant to the U.S. President, who also attended the meeting.
According to an official press release from the Georgian Parliament, “The main topic of the meeting was the revitalization of Georgian-American relations and the restoration of the strategic partnership between the two countries.” Samkharadze described the meeting as “quite engaging,” saying they discussed, among others, Georgia’s “interest and readiness” to restore the strategic partnership with the U.S.
“Insightful and friendly conversation with the Deputy National Security Adviser Andrew Baker about security challenges stemming from occupation, reinvigoration of Georgia-U.S. relations leading to new partnership, mutually beneficial economic prospects and Georgia’s strategic roles in ensuring connectivity,” Samkharadze wrote on X following the meeting.
Meeting with Rep. Andy Ogles
On March 5, the Georgian Parliament reported that the delegation, this time without its head, Nikoloz Samkharadze, met with Republican Rep. Andy Ogles.
According to the press release, the sides discussed Georgia’s strategic partnership with the U.S., the EU, and China. They also spoke about Georgia’s foreign policy and resetting U.S.-Georgia relations. The Middle Corridor was also among the topics discussed, per the press release.
Samkharadze Addresses Alliance of Sovereign Nations Conference
Nikoloz Samkharadze participated in the conference of the Alliance of Sovereign Nations in Washington on March 5.
“I represent the ruling party, “Georgian Dream”, and our Georgian dream is to have full sovereignty over our country. We are a partially occupied country – 20% of our territories are occupied by the Russian Federation,” Samkharadze said, according to the parliament’s press release.
“Therefore, our goal is to restore territorial integrity and ensure the economic well-being of our people. Accordingly, we believe that the sovereignty of the people and their sovereign decisions must be respected,” he added.
During his remarks, Samkharadze alleged that Georgia has victim of the “foreign interference” from not only Russia, but also non-governmental organizations “funded from the United States and Europe.”
“We have been victims of foreign interference in our elections and internal affairs. When I speak about foreign interference, I do not mean only the Russian Federation,” Samkharadze said. “I also refer to non-governmental organizations funded from the United States and Europe that were effectively working to undermine the legitimacy of a democratically elected government, as well as to encourage unrest, violence, and ultimately the violent overthrow of the government.”
The press release also quoted Samkharadze as referring to what he described as “cases of children being harassed because of their parents’ views.” He said a female member of the Georgian delegation had also been targeted “together with her children” by “radical left-wing activists,” apparently referring to a May 2025 incident involving Mariam Lashkhi. The MP accused three female activists of insulting her during a confrontation at a café where she was with her minor children; two were later sentenced to administrative detention, and one was fined.
Samkharadze then said that the Georgian authorities “stand ideologically in the same position,” as the “new administration,” in Washington, expressing hope that “under the new administration, first, Georgian–American relations will deepen and flourish even further, and second, that we will stand together in defending sovereignty, democracy, freedom of speech, and elections in our countries.”
According to the parliament’s press release, Samkharadze also spoke about energy independence during a panel discussion held as part of the conference, which featured “American congressmen, an Austrian member of the European Parliament, and representatives of the Government of Serbia.”
Samkharadze said Georgia was among “the first victims” of the use of energy resources as a “political weapon,” elaborating, “this happened back in the 1990s when we had a conflict with the Russian Federation; Russia used its energy leverage against us and effectively blocked energy supplies to Georgia. Fortunately, however, we have an excellent neighbor – Azerbaijan.” He referred to the period when an important energy partnership between Georgia and Azerbaijan was established.
Speaking about the future, Samkharadze said Georgia, which is “rich in hydropower resources,” plans to “build three large hydroelectric power plants, which will triple and accelerate electricity generation in the country.”
“We are also working on a very important project together with our Romanian, Hungarian, and Azerbaijani friends.”
“Pleased to address an energy independence panel by the Alliance of Sovereign Nations and describe Georgia’s strategic role in energy transit between Asia and Europe, our plan to build new hydropower stations, more than double electricity generation and become net exporter of energy by 2035,” Samkharadze wrote on X.
Meeting with Members of Congress
A delegation of Georgian MPs concluded meetings at the United States Congress on March 6.
According to the parliament’s press release, the delegation met with five members of Congress, “most of whom represent the Committee on Foreign Affairs.” The meeting included Keith Self, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Europe, as well as Randy Fine, Mike Turner, Ryan Zinke, and Anna Paulina Luna.
“The main focus of discussion was Georgian-American relations, the improvement of these relations, and moving them to a new stage. We reviewed a wide range of issues, primarily security matters, developments in our region, and the issue of occupation,” Samkharadze was quoted in the press release as saying.
“We also received information from members of Congress regarding the developments in Iran and their assessment of the current situation,” he said.
He added that the meetings included “a very engaging dialogue,” and the delegation asked members of Congress to “carefully review certain legislative initiatives introduced by some congressmen that clearly have an anti-Georgian character, in order to ensure that they do not harm the positive dynamics currently emerging in our bilateral relations.”
According to pro-government TV Imedi, delegation head Samkharadze also visited the Pentagon, where he met with Daniel Zimmerman, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of War for International Security Affairs, under Pete Hegseth.
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