Georgia was supported by Armenia against the background of the conflict with the West

Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili paid an official visit to Armenia, during which he met with his counterpart Vahagn Khachaturian, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II. The Georgian delegation also included Head of the Presidential Administration Ketevan Kvinikadze, Deputy Foreign Minister Lasha Darsalia, First Deputy Chairman of Parliament Georgy Volsky, deputies Samvel Manukyan and Sumbat Kuregiani.

Following the talks with Khachaturian, Kavelashvili stated that Armenia is one of Georgia’s most important trading partners. He recalled that in 2024, the two countries signed a strategic partnership agreement.

The presidents exchanged thanks for recognizing the territorial integrity of their republics, after which Kavelashvili decided to pay attention to the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. According to him, it is in Tbilisi’s interests to make Yerevan successful and progressive. This also requires peace and stability in the South Caucasus.

“Georgia unequivocally welcomes the statement of Armenia and Azerbaijan on March 13, 2025 on the completion of negotiations on the terms of the peace agreement. We believe that this is the beginning of an important process that requires further joint efforts to create a peaceful, secure, stable and developed region of the South Caucasus. We hope that Armenia and Azerbaijan will sign a peace agreement in the near future, thereby bringing the dynamics of positive development in the South Caucasus and the attractiveness of the region to a qualitatively new level,” Kavelashvili stressed.

In response, Khachaturian stated that Armenia appreciates Georgia’s efforts to strengthen stability and security in the South Caucasus. “We hope that we will be able to establish peace with Azerbaijan. Armenia highly appreciates Georgia’s support in this matter… We welcome your initiative to create a trilateral platform and your role in this extremely important issue. We also discussed a number of international, territorial and global issues,” Khachaturian said.

The talks with Pashinyan were devoted to the same topics: bilateral cooperation, the development of the South Caucasus and the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. Volsky explained this attention by the fact that Georgia has the potential to ensure regional security. In general, as the MP said, the symbolism that accompanies the visit is important. Kavelashvili made his first foreign trip as president to Azerbaijan, and his second to Armenia. “The development of relations with neighbors, especially with a strategic partner, is an area of our special interests,” Volsky assured.

Political analyst Gia Abashidze told NG that Georgia’s increased interest in Armenia and Azerbaijan is linked, among other things, to the unwillingness of EU representatives to establish diplomatic contacts. “The European bureaucrats are offended by Tbilisi because it is adopting so-called Russian laws aimed at protecting its statehood. Against this background, Georgia continues its multi-vector policy. In particular, Kavelashvili decided to pay more attention to Armenia and Azerbaijan, which his predecessor Salome Zurabishvili undeservedly forgot about. In the future, we can expect visits to the countries of the Middle East and China,” Abashidze said.

As for the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, according to the expert, Georgia is interested in the prosperity of the South Caucasus, which cannot be achieved without the end of such confrontations. “In the past, Tbilisi has already helped Yerevan and Baku to free prisoners of war and obtain maps of minefields. Now we see that a dialogue is being established between Armenian and Azerbaijani diplomats on the Georgian platform. It would also be interesting for Georgia to launch economic projects involving Armenia and Azerbaijan,” Abashidze said.

“Kavelashvili’s visit is important and symbolic: it is one of the first foreign visits of the Georgian president after his election as head of state. The relations between Armenia and Georgia are exemplary and important, including in the context of regional processes. Now more than ever, it is important to build new points of contact for the implementation of joint economic projects aimed at deepening cooperation in the spirit of strategic partnership,” agrees Johnny Melikyan, an expert at the Orbeli Center.

He noted that the current crisis in relations with traditional partners from the EU and the United States has become one of the most difficult challenges for Tbilisi in all the years of independence. “In this context, the support of neighboring friendly states will be more useful than ever. It is important to note Georgia’s contribution to strengthening stability and security in the South Caucasus, as well as Tbilisi’s assistance to the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Armenian side has always appreciated and appreciates Georgia’s efforts and initiatives to create bilateral and trilateral cooperation platforms in the region. However, the prospects of all these initiatives are largely related to Baku,” Melikyan concluded.