{"id":824654,"date":"2025-05-25T13:29:44","date_gmt":"2025-05-25T10:29:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/?p=824654"},"modified":"2025-09-15T12:19:46","modified_gmt":"2025-09-15T09:19:46","slug":"georgia-marks-its-independence-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/2025\/05\/25\/georgia-marks-its-independence-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Georgia marks its Independence Day"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Letter to Staten Island Advance Newspaper  Editor <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

The United States and the Republic of T\u00fcrkiye Must Stand Firm in Support of Georgia\u2019s Democratic Future<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Georgia marks its Independence Day on May 26th, the occasion calls for reflection\u2014not just for Georgians, but for allies like the United States and the Republic of T\u00fcrkiye. Both nations have long-standing ties with Georgia, and both now face a defining choice: to reaffirm their support for a young democracy or risk undermining decades of democratic progress and regional stability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In July 2024, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the suspension of more than $95 million in assistance to the Georgian government, following a bilateral review initiated in May. While some aid to civil society remains, this sharp shift in policy could destabilize one of the few democracies in the Caucasus and create a vacuum for greater Russian influence in a geopolitically sensitive region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Georgia has reaffirmed its commitment to Euro-Atlantic integration a message reiterated by its diplomats at a recent reception I attended in New York. For over 30 years, U.S. support has helped build Georgia\u2019s civil and defense infrastructure, trained educators and doctors, and strengthened its coast guard and armed forces. These investments have fortified both national resilience and regional security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turning away from Georgia now would be short-sighted. It sends the wrong message to Georgians and the international community one of retreat at a moment that demands resolve. A country that has sought closer ties with the transatlantic world should not be left vulnerable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States must urgently reconsider its approach. Continued support for Georgia is not a favor it is a strategic imperative. It serves our democratic values and our long-term interests in a secure, Western-oriented Black Sea region. Principled engagement and constructive dialogue\u2014not disengagement\u2014should define U.S.-Georgia relations going forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Likewise, the Republic of T\u00fcrkiye must act decisively. As a NATO ally, a regional super power, and a country deeply linked to Georgia through history, culture, and trade, T\u00fcrkiye has much at stake. Georgia is a key transit hub for energy and commerce\u2014home to the Baku\u2013Tbilisi\u2013Ceyhan pipeline and Southern Gas Corridor, both vital to Europe\u2019s energy diversification and T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s role as an energy bridge. The cities in Turkiye like Artvin, Rize, and Trabzon are directly connected to this strategic geography.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s recent posture has appeared cautious. This is not the time for hesitation. A stable, democratic Georgia strengthens T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s regional leadership and helps counter malign influence from the north.As Georgia continues its path toward democratic consolidation, both Washington and Ankara must act with strategic clarity. Independence Day should serve not merely as a ceremony, but as a catalyst for renewed support. Reinstating U.S. assistance and deepening  T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s engagement would reaffirm shared values and commitments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let May 26th remind us not of uncertainty, but of enduring solidarity with a nation that has stood beside us. Georgia\u2019s success is not just its own it is a victory for democracy itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ibrahim Kurtulus\u00a0<\/em>
Dongan Hills<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Letter to Staten Island Advance Newspaper  Editor  The United States and the Republic of T\u00fcrkiye Must Stand Firm in Support of Georgia\u2019s Democratic Future As Georgia marks its Independence Day on May 26th, the occasion calls for reflection\u2014not just for Georgians, but for allies like the United States and the Republic of T\u00fcrkiye. Both nations […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4131,"featured_media":36407,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[209,11047],"tags":[10945],"class_list":["post-824654","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-georgia-caucasus","category-ibrahim-kurtulus","tag-antony-blinken"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/824654","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4131"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=824654"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/824654\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36407"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=824654"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=824654"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=824654"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}