TBILISI, January 28 – A delegation of staff members from the United States Congress has arrived in Georgia for meeting with government officials and opposition leaders.
The US Embassy said the delegation will hold meetings with Georgian officials and opposition figures and will also visit a settlement for internally displaced persons in Tserovani to assess the situation on the ground. The visit is part of a broader regional tour and is being described by US officials as a fact-finding mission.
The timing has drawn attention in Georgia, where both the ruling Georgian Dream party and the opposition are competing for Washington’s favor. That rivalry intensified after U.S. Vice President JD Vance announced plans to visit Armenia and Azerbaijan next month without stopping in Georgia, leaving Tbilisi without a direct read on the new administration’s regional priorities.
Parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili said the visitors are congressional staffers and advisers rather than elected lawmakers, adding that the meetings are expected to be largely informational. He confirmed that the delegation will also hold discussions in parliament.
Analysts say the visit is being closely watched precisely because it comes amid uncertainty. Political observers note that with senior US officials focusing on Armenia-Azerbaijan peace efforts, Georgia risks being sidelined, even as it remains strategically important as a transit country and regional hub.
The visit has sparked cautious optimism among officials in Tbilisi, who see it as a chance to present their position directly. But opposition figures argue that the lack of high-level US engagement reflects unresolved concerns about democratic backsliding and foreign policy drift.
Relations between Georgia and the United States have remained strained since Trump’s return to the White House, with mixed signals from Washington. While government figures highlight symbolic gestures and shared rhetoric, the opposition points to critical voices in Congress and the proposed MEGOBARI Act targeting Georgia’s leadership.
