Steve Daines: 'Georgia heads in wrong direction while its neighbors choose partnership with US'
US Republican Senator Steve Daines, speaking at an event dedicated to the so-called “Trump Route,” said that Georgia is heading in the wrong direction, while its neighbours, Armenia and Azerbaijan, are choosing partnership with the United States. The remarks were reported by Independence Avenue Media.
Steve Daines is a member of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, actively involved in energy sector issues. In the spring of 2025, Daines visited Georgia, where he met with Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and opposition representatives.
Steve Daines: “Armenia and Azerbaijan have chosen to cooperate with the United States, while Georgia, unfortunately, is moving in the wrong direction. Georgia needs to decide whether it truly wants to reset relations with Washington and join the new security architecture in the region.
There is no reason why Georgia could not become part of this new regional partnership and benefit from it just as its neighbours have. All it needs to do is accept the United States’ outstretched hand and strengthen its commitment to a pluralistic, democratic system of governance.
Georgia plays a strategic role in expanding the ‘Trump Route’ as the only country in the Caucasus with direct access to the Black Sea.
In Tbilisi, I met with representatives of both the ruling Georgian Dream party and the opposition. I conveyed to them that any antagonism between our countries could end as soon as tomorrow. The United States is ready to work with Georgia to secure a better future for its people. However, since then, we have observed some negative developments.”
What is the “Trump Route”?
On 8 August 2025, at the White House, US President Donald Trump, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a joint declaration that not only ends the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict but also provides for the construction of a new transit corridor in the South Caucasus region. The project, named the “Trump Route,” is one of the most ambitious initiatives in the region.
Under the agreement, the road connecting Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave will be under Armenian jurisdiction, as it passes through Armenian territory. An American consortium will be involved in the project’s business management. No further details have been released so far.
The project includes the construction of railways and highways, oil and gas pipelines, as well as digital data transmission infrastructure. It aims to strengthen strategic links between Europe and Asia while bypassing Russia, China, and Iran.
Some analysts see the agreement as a significant loss for Russia.
Steve Daines on Georgia
