 | |
 Georgia |  United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Diplomatic mission | |
| Embassy of Georgia, London | Embassy of the United Kingdom, Tbilisi |
| Envoy | |
| AmbassadorSophie Katsarava | AmbassadorMark Clayton |
Formal diplomaticrelations betweenGeorgia and theUnited Kingdom can be traced back to at least 1919, during theFirst Georgian Republic. After the defeat ofGerman Empire, Georgia's ally, inWWI, parts of Georgia came underBritish administration and British troops were also stationed in Tiflis to stave off theBolshevik invasion. This lasted until 1920, when Britain left due to a variety of geopolitical factors.[1]
In the present day, Georgia-UK relations remain very cordial and the two countries cooperate closely. "Georgia is a strategic partner to the UK"[2] and since 2019, relations between the two countries are streamlined by the "UK-Georgia Strategic Partnership and Cooperation Agreement",[3] which largely replaced theEU-Georgia Association Agreement followingBrexit. Both countries maintain embassies in the respective capitals.
In 2014, UK and Georgia inauguratedWardrop strategic dialogue, a format of annual meetings to promote their biletial co-operation in security, defense policy, economy and trade.[4][5]Both nations are members of theCouncil of Europe.
Relations between the two countries have become more strained in the wake of the2024–2025 Georgian protests and theGeorgian Dream party's increasingly undemocratic tactics, with the UK government freezing security dialogue[6] and the UKForeign Office stating that the 'direction of theGeorgian Dream party risks freedom of expression and assembly and further discrimination against and stigmatising Georgia's LGBT+ community.'[7]
Britain recognized theDemocratic Republic of Georgia in 1919.[8] SirOliver Wardrop served as the United Kingdom's firstChief Commissioner forTranscaucasia inGeorgia from 1919–21.[9] He was welcomed by the government ofNoe Zhordania, who supported Wardrop's efforts to promote Georgian culture and gather support from western nations. During this period, Britain came to view Georgia in a rather favorable light, setting it apart from Bolshevik Russia, as well as some of its neighbors:[10]
"Of the three republics, Georgia is in much the best position. Her territory has escaped the ravages of war, while her people, who prided themselves, even under the old Russian regime, on the European origin of their civilisation, have the advantage over their neighbours in ability and culture. Internal order appears to be well maintained, and the sporadic outburst of Bolshevism which recur at intervals are put down without difficulty and with commendable firmness."
British military presence in Georgia had to come to an end in 1920 because of neutrality clauses in theTreaty of Moscow, in which Russia recognized Georgia's independence in exchange for Georgia not hosting forces hostile to Russia's interests.[11] Now that there were no Western powers in Georgia, in February 1921 the BolshevikRed Army proceeded toinvade the country, leading to Georgia's defeat and collapse by March of that year. Even after Soviet takeover, Britain - along with France, Belgium, and Poland - continued to recognize only the Georgian government; this lasted until the 1930s, when growing Soviet power and political processes in Europe made it impractical to do so indefinitely.[12]
In April 1987, Margaret Thatcher, the British prime minister, made an officialstate visit to the Soviet Union, on the last day of which she visited theGeorgian SSR, specificallyTbilisi.[13] It was the first visit of its kind to Georgia. She was hosted byFirst Secretary of theGeorgian Communist PartyJumber Patiashvili.[14] She was met with crowds in the capital, with Thatcher greeting onlookers with the word "gamarojobat".[15] She also attended a wedding at thePalace of Rituals, where she gave the bride and the groom a porcelain bowl.[16] In the evening, she attended a dinner hosted byChairman of the Council of Ministers Otar Cherkezia and other regional officials, during which she noted the similarity in cultures, notably the shared patronage ofSaint George.[17]
Following the restoration of Georgian independence in 1991, official diplomatic relations between Georgia and the UK were re-established in 1992, and a full UK embassy opened in Tbilisi three years later.[18] Inresponse to the Russo-Georgian War, the British government showed solidarity with Georgia, with theForeign and Commonwealth Office releasing a statement calling for calm andForeign SecretaryDavid Miliband saying the following: "Russia has extended the fighting today well beyond South Ossetia, attacking the Georgian port of Poti, and the town of Gori, while Abkhaz forces have been shelling Georgian positions in the Upper Kodori valley. I deplore this."[19] On 10 August 2008, pro-Georgianprotesters protested in front of the Russian embassy in London.[20] On 21-25 May 2006, Prime MinisterZurab Nogaideli visited the United Kingdom.[21] In November 2015, former Prime MinisterTony Blair visited Georgia, being hosted by Prime MinisterIrakli Garibashvili, who accompanied him to sights such as Mtatsminda Hill.[22][23]
In recent years relations between the two countries have become strained, in response to the actions of theGeorgian Dream party. The British Embassy in Georgia has criticised the state for undermining fundamental human rights, stating that itsFamily Values and Minors Protection package has called 'into question the long-standing relationships between Britain and Georgia.'[24] Following the re-election ofGeorgian Dream, the UK has frozen security dialogue with Georgia and cancelled other talks on defence over "concerns about democratic backsliding", with Ambassador Gareth Ward saying that the Georgian government's actions have prompted Britain to raise 'concerns about the decline of democracy and anti-Western rhetoric.'[25] British Parliamentarians and LGBTQI+ activists have also questioned the safety of Georgia, questioning the previousConservative government's decision to label Georgia a 'safe state' to return asylum seekers to.[26][27]
TheEuropean Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) based in the UK plays an important role in the development of the Georgian economy. The UK is one of the largest investors in Georgia. In 2017, it was third on the list with direct investments, having invested a total of $250 million that year.[28] The twin cities of Tbilisi andBristol,Newport andKutaisi have affected the impact tourism has, with there being a 40% increase in British tourists to Georgia in 2017.[29] FormerBritish Army officer and formerLeader of the Conservatives in the European ParliamentGeoffrey Van Orden said that in terms of economic relations, Georgia was one of the "first of our friends to back post-Brexit Britain and seek a close future partnership".[30]
From 1 September 2013 until 30 December 2020, trade between Georgia and the UK was governed by theGeorgia–European Union Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area, while the United Kingdom was amember of the European Union.[31] Following thewithdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, the UK and Georgia signed acontinuity trade agreement on 21 October 2019, based on the EU free trade agreement; the agreement entered into force on 1 January 2021.[32] It was the first continuity trade agreement signed between the United Kingdom and anEastern European country.[33] Trade value between Georgia and the United Kingdom was worth £457 million in 2022.[34]
Britain has a history of working with theGeorgian Armed Forces during theWar in Afghanistan, where Georgia has long been thelargest non-NATO troop contributor. After the United States, Britain, and their East European allies failed to secureNATO membership plan for Georgia in 2008, the British government floated proposals to help Georgia join the military alliance through alternative means without necessarily needing the formal membership plan.[35][36] These British efforts were ultimately not successful due to opposition from a subset of countries led by France and Germany.
In March 2016, parallel to British troops participating in multilateral exercises in Georgia, theBritish Armed Forces announced the creation of additionaldefence attaché posts in Georgia.[37]
.jpg)
In 2018, Georgia sided with UK's diplomatic efforts against Russia in response to theSalisbury chemical attack by Russian intelligence services and also supported UK initiatives for strengthening theOrganisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).[38] Because Georgia and Russia had already severed diplomatic relations in 2008, and officially there were no longer any Russian diplomats present in Georgia, in show of support for the UK, Georgia expelled a Russian official operating in the country under the nominal auspices ofSwitzerland.[39]
.jpg)
In February 2020, UK'sNational Cyber Security Centre, operating under the aegis ofGCHQ, helped exposeRussian Military Intelligence hacking activities directed against Georgia. The British government noted that Russia "conducted these cyber-attacks in an attempt to undermine Georgia's sovereignty, to sow discord and disrupt the lives of ordinary Georgian people. The UK remains unwavering in its support for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity"[40]
Royal Navydestroyers make regular port calls in Georgia to show support and/or conduct bilateral trainings.[41] Some travel routes used by the Royal Navy to make such visits have attracted controversy and anger from Russia.[42] Commander ofHMS Defender rebuffed these complaints, stating the Royal Navy is committed to "providing reassurances and security in the region, and incredible deterrence to those who seek to undermine global security...and Georgia's territorial integrity and sovereignty".[43]
At the2022 Madrid summit, the UK Prime MinisterBoris Johnson announced more than £5 million in additional support to enhance Georgia's cyber capabilities, reasoning that the "people of Georgia live every day on the frontline of Russian aggression.Putin cannot be allowed to use Georgia's sovereign institutions to sharpen the knife of his cyber capability."[44]
Following the highly disputed re-election ofGeorgian Dream, the UK government froze security dialogue with Georgia, with the UK Ambassador Gareth Ward saying that the Georgian government's actions had prompted Britain to raise 'concerns about the decline of democracy and anti-Western rhetoric.'[45]Stephen Doughty, theForeign Office'sMinister of State for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories has said that it is 'clear that the direction of the Georgian Dream party risks undermining freedom of expression and assembly and further discriminating against and stigmatising Georgia's LGBT+ community, including through the introduction of theLaw on Family Values', and that he has raised 'concerns over recent legislative changes' withthe Georgian Foreign Minister Darchiashvili.[46]
There is a British Military Cemetery in Batumi, Georgia, where 68 Britons are buried.[47] There is a small memorial listing the names of the deceased. It gets periodic visits from the UK, including the Royal Navy.[48]
| Americas |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Asia | ||
| Europe | ||
| Multilateral organizations | ||
| Conflicts | ||
| Related topics | ||
