Tamar Taliashvili, Georgia’s ambassador to the United States, met with Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), whose opposition has reportedly stalled progress on the MEGOBARI Act – a U.S. sanctions bill targeting officials from the Georgian Dream party.
The meeting comes amid reports that supporters of the MEGOBARI Act – which has been stuck in the Senate since passing the House in May – were unable to attach the measure to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), despite earlier hopes that linking it to the annual “must-pass” legislation would boost its chances of advancing.
“During the meeting, the perspectives to foster Georgian-U.S. relations were discussed,” Taliashvili said in a Facebook post on December 12. She thanked Mullin for his “personal contribution” to bilateral ties and described him as “a true friend of Georgia.”
According to the post, the talks also covered the regional situation, current developments, and President Donald Trump’s peace initiatives, as well as opportunities on the international stage.
The MEGOBARI Act is a bipartisan bill that would mandate sanctions against Georgian officials over acts of abuse and corruption related to blocking the country’s Euro-Atlantic integration. It passed the House of Representatives in May with overwhelming bipartisan support, but has since stalled in the Senate amid the reported opposition, including from Mullin.
Mullin was reported by The Hill in September to have persuaded Senate Majority Leader John Thune to remove the MEGOBARI Act from the managers’ package of the NDAA. The Hill also said that Mullin earlier blocked an attempt to pass the legislation by unanimous consent.
Mullin’s position marked a shift from his earlier criticism of Georgian Dream. In 2020, he accused the GD of cozying up with “American hostile rivals and enemies.” In a September interview with The Hill, however, Mullin said he opposed the bill after developing a “better relationship” with Georgian Dream PM Irakli Kobakhidze, arguing that sanctions could harm U.S.-Georgia relations.
“I understand kind of where they’re [GD] trying to get to. I also understand the direct influence that Russia is having and kind of stirring up disdain, I guess, inside the government,” Mullin said, as quoted by The Hill.
“And so I want to be able to work with them before we throw sanctions on them. I want to work with them to see how they can, you know, have true sovereignty, to get away from the overbearing influence of Russia.”
The Hill later reported that the advance of MEGOBARI Act was blocked again, this time by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who reportedly declined a personal request from House Speaker Mike Johnson in November to include the bill in the NDAA.
Separately, a delegation from Georgia’s opposition United National Movement party also visited Washington in December, meeting with officials from the White House and the State Department. UNM leader Tina Bokuchava said the visit also included a meeting with Thune.
Also Read:
- 04/12/2025 – Helsinki Commission Urges U.S. to Verify BBC Report, Sanction Those Responsible
- 01/12/2025 – Backgrounder: MEGOBARI Act – Status and Possible Path Forward
- 18/11/2025 – Jonathan Askonas, State Department Representative, Visits Georgia
- 14/05/2025 – GD Parliament: MEGOBARI Act “Extremely Hostile” and “Factually Flawed”