Salome Zurabishvili, as part of her visit to the United States, where she is invited to attend Donald Trump’s inauguration, gave an interview to the American TV channel FOX NEWS, where she spoke about the results of her meeting with Trump and his future cabinet members, the importance of Georgia for the United States, the ongoing pro-European protests in Georgia, and the expectations of the Georgian people towards the United States.
For the Western world, Georgia can become both a great success and a great problem in the Caucasus, and which one will it be is a question that the United States must answer, she noted.
“Georgia tomorrow could become an example of success for America, or it could become a big problem in this region of the Caucasus, which Russia has always tried to dominate. The Russian Empire tried to do this, then the Soviet Union, and today’s Russia is trying to do this too. Russia is trying a new strategy with Georgia. It is doing the same in Romania, Moldova, and other countries. This new strategy is to win over these countries through rigged elections and the installation of puppet regimes, for which democracy and the constitution are not important, but only the existence of a loyal regime in the country. This will be a question for the next US administration.
“Of course, America has stood by Georgia for 30 years. Georgia has been one of the largest recipients of American aid, because it represents a strategic interest — in terms of energy routes, trade routes, the path to Central Asia. Georgia is a country that has been, in fact, a guardian of democracy and common values. Georgia is one of the oldest Christian states, along with Armenia, which ties us very closely together. We were the watchdogs of democracy in this region. We need America, but I think America needs us too,” Salome Zurabishvili said.
When asked by FOX NEWS what Salome Zurabishvili would advise Donald Trump to do when he has a phone conversation with Vladimir Putin at the latter’s initiative, the fifth president of Georgia noted that Trump should urge Putin to give up on Georgia.
“Give up on Georgia, give up on the Caucasus, because this is in the interest of Western countries. This cannot become a region dominated by Russia again. This should be a region that exists independently, historically, has been a crossroads of different civilizations for centuries; a place where European values have always been central. This is a country that has an active civil society, wants to be part of the values, the community that Europe and the United States represent. So, [Putin] should give up on Georgia,” — this is Salome Zurabishvili’s vision of what Trump should tell Putin when they talk.
“Georgia is pinning its hopes on you,” — Salome Zurabishvili addressed the future US government and people.
