What Could Change in U.S.-Georgia Relations?

By Malkhaz Matsaberidze

Tuesday, February 10, 2026

As part of a working visit to Washington, Georgian Dream Deputy Foreign Minister Lasha Darsalia met with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Brendan Hanrahan on February 3. During the meeting, the parties discussed significant issues regarding bilateral relations. Georgian Dream has already repeatedly stated its desire to "reset" relations with the US; however, the American side has its own conditions for this-conditions that the Ivanishvili government has so far failed to meet. The results of such working meetings often do not become public immediately, yet they serve as an indicator of how ready the Georgian Dream government is to make concessions. If official statements following this meeting remain rigid, it will signify that the parties have failed to agree on "red lines."

Lasha Darsalia is considered one of the most active links in communication with the U.S, with the role of the First Deputy Foreign Minister. While other political leaders face heavy criticism in Washington, Lasha Darsalia maintains a reputation as a "professional diplomat." Darsalia generally avoids the sharp anti-Western attacks typical of Mamuka Mdinaradze or Irakli Kobakhidze. This allows him to remain an "acceptable" figure for negotiations, even though his actual influence on political decisions is increasingly diminishing.

Darsalia has extensive experience working with Western partners. He is often used as a "bridge" when technical details need to be synchronized without political rhetoric interfering with minimal security coordination. However, the frequency and nature of his meetings have changed drastically in recent years, reflecting the shifting political climate between the two nations.

In the early years, within the framework of the Strategic Partnership Charter (2020-2023), Darsalia's meetings were regular and systematic. He often led working groups within the "U.S.-Georgia Strategic Partnership Charter": Official visits to Washington or receiving high-level delegations in Tbilisi occurred several times a year. The content of the visits focused on defense, security, and economic cooperation.

Following the adoption of the "Agents Law" and the start of a "strategic review" by the U.S., a crisis period began in the relationship between the two countries (2024-present). The meeting format changed: many of the working groups overseen by Darsalia were canceled. Consequently, systemic meetings became rare. Meetings are now more point-based and operate in "firefighting" mode: they serve to manage the existing crisis rather than launch new projects. Darsalia often meets Assistant Secretaries of State (such as Jim O'Brien) against a backdrop of sharp diplomatic notes or expectations of sanctions.

If Darsalia's meetings were previously development-oriented, they are now more "defensive" in nature. While their frequency has decreased, the political weight of each meeting has increased, as this remains one of the last remaining official channels between Tbilisi and Washington. Recent official communiqués issued after meetings between Lasha Darsalia and U.S. State Department representatives contain radically different emphases. This so-called "diplomatic bilingualism" clearly illustrates the gulf between the parties.

Regarding the rhetoric of the Georgian side, Tbilisi is attempting to maintain an illusion of "business as usual." Their official statements lean heavily on a commitment to the "strategic partnership," emphasizing Georgia's role as a reliable U.S. ally in the region while focusing on security challenges like the occupied territories and Black Sea stability. Furthermore, Darsalia frequently invokes the principle of "mutual respect," arguing that bilateral relations should be rooted in respect for, and non-interference in, each other's internal political processes.

The closed format of the meeting and frequent mentions of a "reset" suggest that Georgia is attempting to establish a fresh start in its relationship with the Trump administration. Who is Brendan Hanrahan, and why is his figure important for Georgian Dream to fix relations with the U.S.? He is currently a key figure in the U.S. State Department, particularly for Georgia, as he holds the post of Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs.

For Georgian Dream, Hanrahan is important for several reasons: Hanrahan is perceived as a person trusted by the Donald Trump administration. For Georgia's ruling team, this represents a chance to bypass the "old bureaucracy" (the so-called "Deep State") that they have accused of hostility toward them in recent years. Tbilisi hopes that Hanrahan will be more pragmatic and place less emphasis on the "liberal-democratic agenda" than his predecessors. Hanrahan's professional background is often linked to the fields of security and strategic analysis. His priorities may include Black Sea security, energy corridors, and curbing Chinese influence in the region. Georgian Dream is trying to arrange its relationship with him exactly in this light: "We are stable partners in security, while you turn a blind eye to our internal legislative changes."

Hanrahan inherited a package of sanctions and restrictions already imposed by the State Department. Lasha Darsalia's goal is to convince Hanrahan that these sanctions were a "mistake of the previous administration" and that reviewing them is necessary for a "reset." Despite Hanrahan being a member of the new administration, U.S. institutional memory is strong. He will not be able to lift sanctions if Georgia does not take reciprocal democratic steps. Furthermore, Hanrahan is still a proponent of American interests, and according to experts, if Georgia continues its strategic rapprochement with China (for example, regarding the Anaklia Port project), Hanrahan may prove even stricter than his "liberal" predecessors were.