The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Georgia: Relations, the Afghanistan Peacekeeping Mission, Prospects and Challenges

Abstract

Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the resto­ra­tion of Georgia’s independence in 1991, one of the primary prio­rities of the country’s foreign policy has been integration into NATO. Geo­rgia has undertaken numerous significant steps toward this goal. The country shares NATO’s core principles, which are based on dem­ocr­acy, individual liberty, and the rule of law.

Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic course aims to ensure national security and sovereignty. Due to its geopolitical location, Georgia’s sover­eig­nty, security, and territorial integrity have consistently faced seri­ous challenges. Consequently, the country has sought security guara­ntees within the Euro-Atlantic space.

Georgia holds a strategically important position in the region for both European allies and the United States, serving as a key transit corridor for energy resources between East and West. Integration into the Euro-Atlantic space would play a crucial role in counterbalancing potential aggression from Russia and in addressing the threat of rad­ical Islamist extremism at the international level.