“I am optimistic because what Georgia needs, is an America that is stronger than Russia, more determined than Russia, and more clear than Russia. So what I am seeing, what I am hearing is that we see a new administration that wants to see a stronger America and that means that it won’t be an administration that will give in to Russia,” Zourabichvili told Rudaw.
US President Donald Trump returned to the White House on Monday after emerging victorious over his Democratic challenger Kamala Harris in the November elections.
During his election campaign, Trump vowed to negotiate a quick end to the Russia-Ukraine war, with over 32 months of bloodshed having killed tens of thousands of people and left at least 3.7 million displaced, according to the UN.
Georgia's geopolitical position has long been defined by balancing between Russia and the West, particularly the US. Since gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, Georgia has pursued closer ties with the US and Europe, seeking security guarantees against Russian influence. The US has been seen as a supporter of Georgia’s sovereignty.
Despite this, in 2008, Russia invaded Georgia and recognized the independence of two breakaway regions, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, a move widely condemned by the international community. More recently, concerns about Russian interference resurfaced during Georgia’s controversial 2024 parliamentary elections with accusations of election meddling.
“I think that Georgia has been supported by America over the 33 years since its independence. Our state has been consolidated by America. I don't think that America is ready to give in to Russia, that part of the world which is a very important, strategic part of the world for the future,” she said.
On Monday, Rolf Mutzenich, leader of Germany’s Social Democratic Party (SPD), told Rudaw he was skeptical of Trump’s claims that he could end the Russia-Ukraine war swiftly.
There is a controversy regarding the status of Gerogia’s current presidency. Former football player Mikheil Kavelashvili, a hardline critic of the West, was inaugurated as president in December. He took office amid a political crisis after the government halted European Union accession talks, triggering mass protests.
Zourabichvili, a pro-EU opposition figure, has challenged his legitimacy, alleging that the lawmakers who elected him won their seats in a fraudulent election.
