Page 62 - GEORptJun22

High-ranking Armenian officials visit Georgia
Some Balkan countries to benefit from $713mn US military assistance for Ukraine war efforts
Cooper also met Defence Minister Juansher Burchuladze during her trip.
The GDDEI initiative was launched in October 2021 during US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin’s trip to Tbilisi to help Georgia increase its defence and deterrence capabilities.
Armenian Defence Minister Suren Papikyan, who visited Tbilisi on May 4-5, met Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and his Georgian counterpart Juansher Burchuladze to discuss defence cooperation in the light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
During a meeting with Prime Minister Garibashvili on May 4, the parties discussed defence cooperation between the two countries and the impact of the Russian-led war in Ukraine on the global security architecture, including in the South Caucasus, according to the Administration of the Government of Georgia.
Another high ranking official, Secretary of the National Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan, who is on a visit to Tbilisi, met with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri earlier on the same day. According to the press service of the Administration of the Government of Georgia, the parties discussed the war started by Russia in Ukraine and the situation in the South Caucasus, and also stressed the importance of ensuring peace and stability in the region.
However, part of the statements about the Russian invasion of Ukraine was reflected in neither the Armenian Defence Ministry's nor the Security Council's statements.
Albania, Montenegro and North Macedonia are among several countries in the Southeast Europe region that will benefit from the US military assistance to Ukraine and other allies and partners worth $713mn, the Albanian-language service of VOA reported on April 26 citing a US State Department spokesman.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on April 25 that $322mn of the $713mn package consists of direct funding to Ukraine for its war efforts, while $400mn has been earmarked for 15 countries in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as in the Balkans.
The spokesman told VOA that this amount will help Nato allies meet their reserves affected by donations to Ukraine.
More than $322mn are aimed for Ukraine to further enhance its ability to defend itself in the ongoing war with Russia. Georgia would receive $35m in funding for equipment including an advanced tactical field artillery data system and cyber defense capabilities, VOA said, citing the spokesperson.
The rest of the $713mn package will provide defense items, training and services to the European region including Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania and Slovenia, the report said.
This amount will also benefit the Czech Republic and will provide additional support to Bosnia & Herzegovina under the Countering Russian Influence Fund.
"The balance is for other Nato members to reinforce them after having supplied their own arms to Kyiv during the first phase of fighting," Blinken said on April 25.
62 GEORGIA Country Report June 2022 www.intellinews.com