Another important event took place in Tbilisi, Georgia. Namely, Tbilisi hosted the two-day Tbilisi International Conference 2022 - Slava Ukraini - by The McCain Institute at Arizona State University, the George W. Bush Institute and the Economic Policy Research Center – EPRC.
Experts, leaders and policymakers from the United States and Europe will hold high-level discussions about Ukraine and Georgia, the future of NATO and the EU, and democracy in general, given ongoing Russian military aggression and disinformation.
The conference occurs as Russian forces still occupy over 20% of Georgian land and the Kremlin persists in nuclear and conventional sabre-rattling and meddling in the internal affairs of Eastern European countries, including Georgia.
“Georgians know what it is like to live with a belligerent autocrat like Vladimir Putin as a next door neighbor, and they know what it is like to have his army invade your sovereign country,” said McCain Institute Executive Director Dr. Evelyn Farkas: “There is no better place than Tbilisi, Georgia to discuss the future of Ukraine, the transatlantic relationship and how to shore up our efforts to defend democracy and defeat Putin’s aggressive and illegal foreign policy.”
“I’ve been involved with this conference since it was started in 2014 by Nino Evgenidze and EPRC with the McCain Institute,” said David J. Kramer, the Bradford Freeman Managing Director of Global Policy at the Bush Institute: “I’m thrilled this year that George W. Bush Institute is a partner, which reflects our great interest in Georgia and the region. Indeed, this conference underscores the enduring friendship between the people of Georgia and the people of the United States during these very challenging times.”
David Kramer read out the message that President Bush has sent to Georgian people and the attendees of the Tbilisi International Conference 2022.
We will never relent in our call for Russia to end its occupation of 20% of your nation’s territory, and for Moscow to respect your country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Even when we voice concerns about developments in your country, we do so as friends and allies of Georgia. We want to see Georgia succeed and take its rightful place as a full-fledged member of the democratic community of nations. This is especially true in light of Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine, something sadly to which Georgians can relate. Georgians can also relate to Ukrainians desire to live in freedom and enjoy the fruits of liberty - the message from the 43rd President of the United States reads.
“We dedicated our 6th annual reunion to Ukraine. We want to honor the Ukrainian people who are defending not only their independence and sovereignty, but also the vision of a Europe ‘whole, free and at peace.’ Whatever it takes and as long as it takes, we stand for Ukraine, we stand for freedom,” said EPRC Executive Director Nino Evgenidze.
This is the sixth convening of the Tbilisi Conference since 2014.
Experts, leaders and policymakers from the United States and Europe will hold high-level discussions about Ukraine and Georgia, the future of NATO and the EU, and democracy in general, given ongoing Russian military aggression and disinformation.
The conference occurs as Russian forces still occupy over 20% of Georgian land and the Kremlin persists in nuclear and conventional sabre-rattling and meddling in the internal affairs of Eastern European countries, including Georgia.
“Georgians know what it is like to live with a belligerent autocrat like Vladimir Putin as a next door neighbor, and they know what it is like to have his army invade your sovereign country,” said McCain Institute Executive Director Dr. Evelyn Farkas: “There is no better place than Tbilisi, Georgia to discuss the future of Ukraine, the transatlantic relationship and how to shore up our efforts to defend democracy and defeat Putin’s aggressive and illegal foreign policy.”
“I’ve been involved with this conference since it was started in 2014 by Nino Evgenidze and EPRC with the McCain Institute,” said David J. Kramer, the Bradford Freeman Managing Director of Global Policy at the Bush Institute: “I’m thrilled this year that George W. Bush Institute is a partner, which reflects our great interest in Georgia and the region. Indeed, this conference underscores the enduring friendship between the people of Georgia and the people of the United States during these very challenging times.”
David Kramer read out the message that President Bush has sent to Georgian people and the attendees of the Tbilisi International Conference 2022.
We will never relent in our call for Russia to end its occupation of 20% of your nation’s territory, and for Moscow to respect your country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Even when we voice concerns about developments in your country, we do so as friends and allies of Georgia. We want to see Georgia succeed and take its rightful place as a full-fledged member of the democratic community of nations. This is especially true in light of Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine, something sadly to which Georgians can relate. Georgians can also relate to Ukrainians desire to live in freedom and enjoy the fruits of liberty - the message from the 43rd President of the United States reads.
“We dedicated our 6th annual reunion to Ukraine. We want to honor the Ukrainian people who are defending not only their independence and sovereignty, but also the vision of a Europe ‘whole, free and at peace.’ Whatever it takes and as long as it takes, we stand for Ukraine, we stand for freedom,” said EPRC Executive Director Nino Evgenidze.
This is the sixth convening of the Tbilisi Conference since 2014.
