Georgia hopes for a change in U.S. policy under Trump

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze expressed hope that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump will reassess its policy towards Tbilisi and lift sanctions imposed by the previous U.S. administration.

"I believe the approaches under the previous administration (of the U.S.) will be radically reassessed, including the sanctions policy. This is our assumption," Kobakhidze said in an interview with Georgian journalists.

On November 30, 2024, the U.S. State Department announced the suspension of its strategic partnership with Georgia. The decision came two days after Kobakhidze stated that the ruling party, "Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia," decided not to raise the issue of starting negotiations for EU membership until the end of 2028 and to reject all EU budget grants.

Later, the U.S. Department of the Treasury added former Georgian Minister of Internal Affairs Vakhtang Gomelauri and former Deputy Head of the Special Affairs Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Mirza Kezavade to the Magnitsky sanctions list. U.S. authorities claim both are involved in "repression against journalists, opposition members, and protest participants, including those involved in the 2024 protests."