GD preparing to drop Georgia’s NATO bid ahead of summit?

TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian government may be preparing the grounds for formally abandoning the country’s NATO aspirations and adopt a neutral status, analysts say.

Just ahead of the June 24‑25 NATO summit in The Hague, Georgia’s government announced the closure of its NATO and EU Information Centre by July 1, merging its functions into the Foreign Ministry, a move seen as signaling rising frustration with the Western alliance.

Now, some suspect that Georgian Dream (GD) is planning to go further, and abandon its Altanticist foreign policy orientation altogether.

Any formal shift would face significant legal and political hurdles. Georgia’s Constitution binds the country to pursue integration into European and Euro‑Atlantic structures. Amending the Constitution requires a constitutional majority that the ruling party currently lacks.

Experts warn that a move away from NATO could embolden Russia’s long-term ambitions in the South Caucasus, while others argue distancing the country from the Alliance may remove the primary reason for Moscow’s hostility.

Leaders of NATO member countries declared at the Bucharest summit in 2008 that Georgia will become a member.

GD officials have questioned the security benefits of the current NATO course. Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili said public assurances are insufficient without concrete steps, highlighting Ukraine’s experience. Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvili maintains that Georgia has done its part for integration, noting that both NATO and the EU must also demonstrate commitment.