A STRATEGIC CHARTER SIGNED BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND GEORGIA. THE BEGINNING OF A NEW ERA IN THE HISTORY OF RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES

Abstract

2008 was a very dramatic year for Georgia, when the independence of our country was directly threatened by Russia. The August war changed the fate of Georgia as well as of Europe in modern times, the majority of historians now believe that the aggression initiated by Russian president in Georgia in 2008, was continued in Ukraine and followed by the hybrid war in other countries of Eastern Europe.

The August 2008 war completely changed the political agenda in the Caucasus. The main need, which was revealed by the analysis of the causes and consequences of the August 2008 Russia-Georgia war, was a new vision of Georgia in terms of foreign policy and a new vision of the bilateral relations with our country's strategic partner, the United States. Georgia needed a strong ally that would be able to support and help.

This process was sharply highlighted by the George W. Bush administration after the August 2008 war. Official Tbilisi aspired to move relations with the United States to a new level. The purpose of this article is to present the preparation of the foundations for the development of strategic cooperation between the United States and Georgia against the background of the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001, the anti-terrorist intervention in Afghanistan, and the 2003 Iraq campaign, as well as the rapid democratization, military modernization, and westernization of institutions of Georgia in the context of further rapprochement with the United States and NATO, which also led to Russia's aggression in 2008, which manifested itself in the form of the "August War", and whose goal was to stop the integration of the Georgian state into the Euro-Atlantic structures (or obtain an informal veto right) and prevent the establishment of strategic relations with the United States. The article reviews the main content of the strategic charter and its importance from the history of relations between the two countries.

Kay words: Strategic charter; Georgia; United States of America; Russia; Defense and security;