U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation and a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, Senate Majority Whip and Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus has visited to Georgia.

They released the following statements announcing their travel to Georgia and Romania following their participation in the 2023 Munich Security Forum. During their visit, Shaheen and Durbin will meet with heads of state, members of legislature and representatives from civil society to discuss the nations’ bilateral relationships, as well as the geopolitical importance of the Black Sea region.

“The Black Sea is a pivotal geopolitical region for European security, particularly amid Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine. Vladimir Putin is already working to spread his malign influence in the area and we know his hegemonic aspirations go beyond taking Ukraine. It is critical that the U.S. actively engage with our Black Sea partners and establish a more robust policy toward the region. That is precisely what I’m looking to discuss over the next several days,” said Shaheen. “Georgia has important elections coming up and the opportunity to advance a pro-democratic agenda, which is what I’ll encourage our partners to prioritize as they work to build a better future for the Georgian people and to bring more stability to the region. I also look forward to meeting with our allies in Romania, a key NATO member that has played a significant role on the frontlines of the war in Ukraine, facilitating the flow of Western equipment to aid the fight against Putin and assisting refugees fleeing the violence. There is much to discuss and I appreciate the opportunity to engage with our partners and allies in person.”

“Having suffered a brazen Russian military seizure of its land in 2008, Georgia knows Putin’s threat all too well,” said Durbin. “It’s early break from the Soviet Union heralded great promise for a future squarely in the transatlantic community of democracies – a vision which has yet to be fully realized and which I hope to further encourage on this return visit. Romania has also seen up close the consequences of Putin’s military crimes in neighboring Ukraine and stood resolutely as a key member of NATO and the EU. I look forward to discussing this important effort and visit with NATO troops while there.”