Georgia in NATO Vilnius Summit Communiqué

NATO Heads of State and Governments participating in the NATO Summit in Vilnius issued a Communiqué, focusing on the main issues and challenges facing the Alliance.

Concerning Georgia, the Communiqué reiterates the Allies’ commitment to the 2008 Bucharest Summit Decision that Georgia will become a member of the Alliance with the Membership Action Plan as an integral part of the process; the Allies reaffirm all elements of that decision.

The Alliance reiterates its support to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders and “stands firm” in its support for “Georgia’s right to decided its own future and foreign policy course free from outside interference.”

Allies call on Russia to “withdraw the forces it has stationed in Georgia without its consent, as well as “reverse its recognition the Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions of Georgia, to end the militarization of these regions and continued attempts to forcibly separate them from the rest of Georgia through the construction of border-like obstacles.”  The Alliance also calls on Russia “to cease the human rights violations and abuses, including arbitrary detentions, and harassments of Georgian citizens.” 

Allies state: “We highly appreciate Georgia’s substantial contributions to NATO operations, which demonstrate its commitment and capability to contribute to Euro-Atlantic security.”

They also remain committed “to making full use of the NATO-Georgia Commission and the Annual National Programme (ANP) in deepening political dialogue and practical cooperation with Georgia.”

The Communiqué welcomes the progress made in implementing the enhanced Substantial NATO-Georgia Package.

Allies also state that to advance its Euro-Atlantic aspirations, Georgia must progress on reforms, including key democratic reforms, and make the best use of the ANP.

What changed from the Brussels Summit Communiqué?

The last time the NATO Heads of State and Governments adopted a Communique was during the 2021 Brussels Summit. The 2022 Madrid Summit issued a much shorter declaration.

Brussels Summit Communiqué of 2021 stated regarding Georgia:

“We commend the significant progress on reforms which Georgia has made and must continue to make, and which have helped Georgia strengthen its defense capabilities and interoperability with the Alliance.  Georgia’s relationship with the Alliance contains all the practical tools to prepare for eventual membership.  We are working closely with Georgia on security in the Black Sea region in response to Russia’s increasingly destabilizing activities and welcome the steps taken to implement the refreshed Substantial NATO-Georgia Package.”

That Brussels Summit declaration, therefore, contained the same formula as adopted today in Vilnius, affirming the commitment to the 2008 Bucharest Summit Decision that Georgia will become a member of the Alliance with the Membership Action Plan (MAP) as an integral part of the process. Except, Ukraine and Georgia were considered in the same context. In Vilnius, it was stated that Ukraine won’t require MAP for the eventual invitation.

Another important element missing from Vilnius Summit Communique is the wording that “Georgia’s relationship with NATO contains all the practical tools to prepare for the eventual membership,” something that has been repeated in NATO Summit Communiques since 2016.

In contrast to the Brussels Communique, praise for the progress on reforms has disappeared and is replaced by the call to implement reforms.

Language concerning the joint Georgia-NATO efforts on strengthening Black Sea security, which was present in Brussels, is absent from the Vilnius Summit’s final document.

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