Georgia and U.S. to sign 3-year defense cooperation agreement in fall - Georgian Defense Ministry
TBILISI. May 21 (Interfax) - Georgia and the United States plan to sign a three-year framework agreement on defense cooperation in the fall, Georgian Defense Minister Levan Izoria said following a meeting with U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy John Rood.
According to Izoria, such an agreement will help bolster defense cooperation with the U.S. and allow Georgia to forge even closer ties with NATO and prepare for accession to the alliance, the press service of the Georgian Defense Ministry said.
"At the meeting, we also discussed the need to broaden the format and scope of multinational exercises in Georgia with the aim of enhancing security in the Black Sea," Izoria said.
He also said that he and representatives of the NATO Joint Force Command had discussed the alliance's large-scale drills in Georgia in 2022.
In Washington, the sides also discussed further U.S. steps to help Georgia upgrade its armed forces and equip them in line with NATO standards, Izoria said.