Georgia, NATO in joint maritime Black Sea drills

Georgia’s Coast Guard is holding joint maritime exercises with NATO member state naval forces in the Black Sea, in a continuing move to integrate the ex-Soviet country with the Atlantic alliance’s security strategy.

Tbilisi’s official National Security Doctrine specifically identifies full NATO, as well as European Union (EU) membership, as end goals. Polling data in Georgia consistently shows very high support for membership in both – more than 70 percent.

The Georgian Interior Ministry said NATO members Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey are taking part in the joint sea exercises.

The vessels involved are REGINA MARIA (Romania), KEMALREIS (Turkey) and SMELI (Bulgaria).

They are joining combined maritime exercise training with Georgian Coast Guard vessels “Ochamchire” [P23] and “Dioskuria” [P25].

“The aim of maritime exercises is to enhance interoperability and interaction between the Georgian and Allied forces,” the Georgian Interior Ministry said.

The ministry said the exercises were a demonstration of the joint commitment between Georgia and NATO, despite the global COVID-19 pandemic.

“Amid the coronavirus pandemic, this port visit [Georgia’s main naval ports are in the Black Sea cities of Batumi and Poti] is a visible demonstration of NATO’s continued commitment to Georgia, read the official statement.”

NATO ships call at those port cities on a relatively regular, periodic basis. The last visit by NATO member vessels took place in February, 2021.

Georgia’s pro-NATO orientation is the subject of constant criticism by Moscow, which regards the policy as a threat to Russia’s security.

The two countries have had no diplomatic relations since 2008, after a short five-day war which killed hundreds of civilians and several thousand troops. 25,000 ethnic Georgians were forced to flee the tiny Georgian region of South Ossetia. Russia exerts effective control over South Ossetia and the more populous Abkhazia region. It has established military bases in both.