TBILISI, Georgia — The McCain Institute cohosted the seventh annual Tbilisi International Conference on September 3-5 with the Economic Policy Research Center and the George W. Bush Institute. The theme of this year’s Tbilisi Conference was “Defeating Putinism.” Discussions focused on the increasingly Putinist governing style of Georgia’s ruling party, the Georgian Dream Party, their tacit alignment with Putin, and the need to oppose both Vladimir Putin and the Putinist, autocratic, human-rights violating methods other leaders are emulating.
The McCain Institute penned a report following the conference outling policy recommendations for American and Western engagement with Georgia. “Georgia stands at a fork in the road between a future in the Euro-Atlantic community, or one where it is dominated by Moscow. Either path appears equally likely despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of Georgians wish to see their country join the European Union and NATO. They do not wish to remain in a gray zone aligned with Putin or, worse, almost absorbed into the Russian Federation, a la Belarus. There is a short window of opportunity for the Georgian people and the Georgian government to make the right choice.”
Below are the McCain Institute’s five policy recommendations regarding the Republic of Georgia.
- Engage in open and frank dialogue with the Georgian government and Georgian people.
- Heed our European allies and prevent global war.
- Admit Ukraine into NATO in 2024.
- Galvanize the Global South against Putin’s neo-imperialist vision.
- Step up U.S. engagement, just like John McCain would.
Read the full McCain Institute trip report from Georgia HERE.
About the McCain Institute at Arizona State University
The McCain Institute is a nonpartisan organization inspired by Senator John McCain and his family’s dedication to public service. We are part of Arizona State University and based in Washington, D.C. Our programs advance democracy, protect human rights and freedom, and empower character-driven leaders. Our unique power to convene leaders across the global political spectrum enables us to make a real impact on the world’s most pressing challenges. Our goal is action, not talk, and like Senator McCain, we are fighting to create a free, safe, and just world for all.
About Arizona State University
Arizona State University has developed a new model for the American research university, creating an institution that is committed to access, excellence and impact. ASU measures itself by those it includes, not by those it excludes. As the prototype for a New American University, ASU pursues research that contributes to the public good, and ASU assumes major responsibility for the economic, social and cultural vitality of the communities that surround it.