Interview with John Bolton about Georgia
John Bolton, former White House national security adviser (2018-2019), told the Georgian edition of Voice of America that some recent decisions by the Georgian government were wrong and damaging. He warned of a potentially dangerous period for the country.
What John Bolton said
Asked about his views on the current relationship between the two countries in light of recent events, Bolton replied:
“It is clear that relations are not at their best and it is true that some of the recent decisions of the Georgian government have been wrong, flawed and damaging. I believe that when disagreements arise between friends, it is better to keep them private.
I hope that the current Georgian government will recognise what is happening and understand that the situation may get worse, leaving Georgia in a more vulnerable position.
In the long term, Georgia’s place can only be in NATO and in the Western world. That is the reality of Georgia. The unfortunate circumstance of having belonged to the Soviet Union for more than 70 years should not alienate the Georgian people from European integration.
We must not allow Russian influence in Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan or any of the Caucasus countries to drive them back, not even to the Soviet Union, but to the Russian Empire.
“Therefore, there are undoubtedly problems with the policies of the current Georgian government, but I would prefer to address these issues behind closed doors.”
Interview with John Bolton about Georgia
Asked whether we might see a change in the US administration and how Bolton thinks the current US policy towards Georgia could be reassessed, in particular the State Department’s recent review of cooperation with Georgia, Bolton replied:
“Given Donald Trump’s relationship with Vladimir Putin, I am very concerned that Trump may be more inclined to support greater Russian influence in Georgia, which I find very undesirable. This worries me.
Remember, Trump knows little about history and geography. He once asked the then White House chief of staff whether Finland was still part of Russia. He is sensitive to what Putin says about Russia-Georgia relations and could side with Russia. Therefore, I think we are facing a potentially very dangerous moment.”
Bolton also discussed the risks and benefits he perceives for Georgia in pursuing a strategic partnership with China:
“I don’t understand why Georgia wants a strategic partnership with China. When I visited the Caucasus in 2019, we discussed this with the then Georgian government. Since then, it has become clear that the new Russia-China axis reminds us of the alliance between China and the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
Georgia already has a border with Russia, and given China’s influence over Russia due to the war in Ukraine, Georgia is very close to having a border with China as well.
That is not a border that is desirable. Look at countries that geographically cannot avoid China, such as India and Vietnam in Southeast Asia. So, this just highlights that China, through the Belt and Road Initiative, credit diplomacy, and, frankly, blatant corruption, is trying to build strategic relationships with countries like Georgia. This will not yield positive results for Georgia.”
