Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili says Georgia has “done everything” required for NATO membership, arguing that responsibility for the lack of progress now lies squarely with the Alliance. Speaking on Tuesday, Papuashvili accused some actors of intentionally keeping both Georgia and Ukraine “in limbo,” which he said only increases regional security risks.
“We see that some aim to keep Georgia or Ukraine caught in limbo, neither here nor there, which only heightens security risks rather than alleviating them,” Papuashvili stated.
He stressed that NATO membership is not merely a political aspiration but is formally embedded in Georgia’s Constitution. According to him, public patience has worn thin after years of unfulfilled promises.
“The Georgian people are no longer tolerant of such statements. They see what we are dealing with. In 2008, it was said that the doors were open; seventeen years have passed since then. Georgia has done everything, both institutionally and militarily, through rapprochement, participation in wars, and fighting alongside NATO forces,” he said.
Papuashvili added that Georgia’s contributions to NATO missions often exceeded those of some Alliance members.
“Whatever country Mr. Rutte was the Prime Minister of, we sent ten times more troops to Afghanistan than that country. So, the finger-pointing and questions must come to an end. The Georgian people are no longer naive. The ball is entirely in NATO’s court. Georgia has fulfilled all requirements for NATO membership; not only does it want to join, but it is also enshrined in our Constitution.”
He also invoked Ukraine’s experience, recalling President Volodymyr Zelensky’s 2022 request for clarity on Ukraine’s NATO prospects at the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
“If the answer was no, Zelensky said they would announce it and move on, possibly resolving some tension. But neither response came. The ball remains in NATO’s court,” Papuashvili said.
The Speaker emphasized that Georgia’s participation in international peacekeeping missions — with 70% of its military personnel engaged in various operations and exercises — places it ahead of “seven or eight NATO member states” in terms of compatibility and institutional standards.
Responding to questions about membership procedures, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte noted that any Euro-Atlantic state wishing to join the Alliance may formally express that intention, after which a defined process begins.
Related story: Mark Rutte: I am not naive about what is happening in Georgia – we are very concerned
