Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has emphasized the importance of the 2008 NATO Bucharest Summit decision that ‘Ukraine and Georgia will become NATO members’, during his meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

Former commander of the U.S. Army in Europe, now the Pershing Chair in Strategic Studies at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), Ben Hodges said that he agrees with PM Garibashvili that every country has the sovereign right to choose its own foreign policy course.

'NATO has always stood by this and the US government echoed this as well. This is why it is important that all of us, including Georgia, resist efforts by the Kremlin to undermine sovereignty and prevent nations from pursuing their own foreign policy. The Kremlin, of course, fears a liberal democratic Georgia and Ukraine much more than they actually fear NATO, because they know their own oppressed population will want the same,' Hodges added.

As for the PM Garibashvili's message that 'the time has come to intensify our integration process and make concrete political decisions,' American general said:

'I think that Georgia needs to make concrete decisions about its own liberal democratic future and its own economic future. Does it truly want western integration, not just NATO, but in all facets, and is it willing to do hard work necessary to ensure transparency and strong liberal democratic institutions? We can see from our own challenges in the USA that this is never easy and it is never to be taken for granted.'

Hodges believes that the most important is that the US government to develop a broad strategy for the greater Black Sea region.

'I think the current US administration stands by NATO’s open door policy and by eventual NATO membership for Georgia and for Ukraine. But I think it is most important that the US government to develop a broad strategy for the greater Black Sea region, including diplomatic and economic matters, as well as military cooperation, and a stronger, enduring bilateral relationship with Georgia have to be our priorities,' he added.

Moscow’s calls on the NATO to annul the 2008 Bucharest Summit decision that Georgia and Ukraine will eventually become members of the Alliance.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry stated it finds 'any statement by a third party on reviewing the Bucharest Summit decision to be unacceptable' and in contravention of international law. It highlighted that the Bucharest decision was made with consensus between Allied member states, and has been reiterated in every subsequent NATO Summit. The Georgian Foreign Ministry stressed that it falls within the country’s 'sovereign decision to join NATO, one that is based on the unwavering will of the Georgian population. This aim is also reflected in Georgia’s Constitution.'

In response to the Moscow’s statement, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said:

“It is a fundamental principle that every nation has the right to choose its own path. This is enshrined in many documents and agreements that Russia has signed too – everything from the Helsinki Final Act in 1975, to the Charter of Paris, to many other accords.'