**Georgia Hosts Major Military Exercise Amid Strained US Relations**
The multinational exercise Agile Spirit 2025 has kicked off in Georgia, bringing together troops from several countries for a series of military drills. The event, which started on July 21 in Turkey and opened in Georgia today, will continue through August 8.
This year’s edition marks the 12th iteration of Agile Spirit hosted in Georgia and involves over 2,000 military personnel, including more than 800 US service members. The exercise is designed to enhance readiness, interoperability, and combined operational capabilities among participating armed forces. Troops from Georgia, the US, Turkey, Germany, Italy, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Lithuania, Ukraine, and Poland are taking part in the drills.
Armenia and Japan are participating as observers. The exercise is being co-led by the West Command of the Georgian Defense Forces and the US Georgia Army National Guard. The event will take place across multiple sites, including the NATO-Georgia Joint Training and Evaluation Center (JTEC) in Krtsanisi.
**What to Expect**
The drills will include a command post operation, a Georgia-US tactical convoy along the Senaki-Vaziani highway, combined live fire drills, joint special operations activities, and the validation of the Georgian Defense Forces’ Combat Training Center. Armored vehicles and air assets in the arsenal of the Georgian Defense Forces will participate in the exercise.
The US Army combat vehicles and UH60 Black Hawk multi-mission helicopters, as well as the Puma AS332 helicopter of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Türkiye, have been deployed to Georgia to take part in the exercise. This year’s Agile Spirit comes at a time when US-Georgia relations are strained, with the US Department of Defense indefinitely postponing the Noble Partner exercises last year.
**US-Georgia Relations Under Strain**
The delay in the Noble Partner exercises was cited as one of the reasons for the postponement, with the US Department of Defense stating that it was due to false statements by Georgian officials claiming that the US was trying to stir up tensions in the region. The US later suspended its Strategic Partnership with Georgia amid the ruling Georgian Dream’s decision to postpone EU accession efforts until 2028.
**What Does This Mean?**
The strained relations between the US and Georgia have raised concerns about the future of their partnership. Despite the ongoing exercises, it remains to be seen how this will impact the overall relationship between the two countries.
As the exercise unfolds, observers are watching closely for any signs of improvement or deterioration in US-Georgia ties. One thing is certain – the Agile Spirit 2025 is a significant event that highlights the importance of strong alliances and partnerships in addressing shared security challenges in the region.
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