The President of Georgia discussed his meetings with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio during the opening days of the Winter Olympics, describing the interactions as warm, sincere, and productive.

"He [Marco Rubio] said - and I want our public to know this - that they encountered a great deal of negativity toward Georgia from the previous administration. He even used a term that is difficult to translate directly into English, describing just how severe this negativity was.

They themselves understand that this approach was unrealistic and inappropriate toward our country. He noted that discussions on this very issue took place last Monday, that they thoroughly reviewed and analyzed the process, and that they are currently working to clear this negativity from our relations. In the near future, they will certainly prepare properly so that our relations can be restored.

Marco Rubio was well-informed about the issues discussed the previous day with J.D. Vance, including shared values and the fact that Donald Trump positioned himself around these values both before and after his election victory.

Our position is open, and we speak openly to our society. At this stage, everyone knows our message - that we want to have normal, healthy relations, as we do with our partners. Of course, the US is of particular importance, as it is a powerful country with global influence. We had a strategic partnership, and due to the deliberate actions of the previous administration and certain forces that continue to try to damage many processes even today, they themselves have to confront these forces. This was the context of the discussion. He said directly that discussions on this issue took place last Monday and that the level of negativity was so significant that time is needed to thoroughly analyse everything and establish relations with Georgia in a manner befitting their country.

He also stated that a technical team will be prepared so that, in an analytical framework, it will be possible to restart our relations from a clean slate", - said Mikheil Kavelashvili.