Georgia
Rethinking the U.S.-Georgia Relationship
If the U.S. Senate wants to avoid another tragic crisis like Ukraine along Russia’s periphery, it needs to stop encouraging Moscow’s neighbors into unnecessarily confrontational relationships with Russia. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what most members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee took steps towards last month when they advanced the MEGOBARI Act. This legislation is part of an effort to incentivize Georgia to limit its economic relations with Russia and more thoroughly align itself with the transatlantic approach to the war in Ukraine, regardless of the potential repercussions to Georgia’s economy and security. If enacted, the actual effect will be to push Georgia into deeper relationships with non-Western partners while seriously contradicting the Trump administration’s efforts to reevaluate American commitments across Europe and reestablish working relations with Russia to bring peace to Ukraine through a negotiated long-term settlement.
At the end of March 2025, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed the “Mobilizing and Enhancing Georgia’s Options for Building Accountability, Resilience, and Independence Act”. According to the bill’s cosponsors, Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Jim Risch (R-ID), the legislation would support “the people of Georgia as their government continues its violent assaults on peaceful protestors and reaffirms U.S. support for Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration.” Chairman Risch specified that the “U.S. supports the Georgian people as they struggle for the right to self-determination” and that this bill “will give the U.S. tools to help Georgians restore fairness to their political system.”
The “MEGOBARI” Act, as the bill is commonly known and which translates to “friend” in the Georgian language, was first introduced in the last session of Congress by the former chairman of the Helsinki Commission, Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC). Another, much more severe, piece of legislation also under discussion is the Georgian Nightmare Non-Recognition Act, which would effectively prohibit U.S. officials from recognizing the current Georgian government while simultaneously declaring that former president Salome Zourabichvili is the only legitimate leader of the country following contested election last October.
MEGOBARI includes a dozen statements of policy that almost all focus on the U.S. supporting Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, civil society, democratic values, and its constitutionally-mandated intention to pursue EU and NATO integration. Nevertheless, if Tbilisi were “to combat Russian aggression” and enact its own and enforce Western sanctions on Russia, the legislation calls on the U.S. to review and, “as appropriate,” expand its security and defense assistance to Georgia. It does not, however, promise actually to defend Georgia if the policies being advocated lead to a new war with Russia—any more than the US defended Georgia during the war of 2008. It is wickedly irresponsible to try to force another country into profoundly dangerous actions when you have no intention of saving them from the consequences.
The act also calls for U.S. government investigation into any Georgian officials that have been involved in “blocking Euro-Atlantic integration” or who have undermined “peace, security, stability, sovereignty or territorial integrity” of Georgia and to apply property and visa sanctions upon those deemed in violation.
As the Quincy Institute laid out in a recent policy brief, as a result of the Ukraine War and Russia’s continued support for Georgia’s two separatist territories, Tbilisi is facing an extremely precarious security environment. To be sure, the ruling Georgian Dream party has at the same time—sometimes ruthlessly—advanced its own domestic political agenda, including by enacting legislation to target external funding of civil society organizations (CSOs) and media as well as threatening to ban political parties and politicians associated with the former president Mikheil Saakashvili. The State Department has criticized these measures.
Nevertheless, if legislation such as MEGOBARI is passed into law, it will have profoundly negative effects on American (and likely European) relations with Georgia and their ability to encourage the very developments such bills and their backers seek to engender in the country.
Whether the U.S. likes it or not, Georgia’s economy is strongly linked to and dependent on trade with Russia. In 2024 total trade turnover between Russia and Georgia amounted to around $2.5 billion, or 11 percent, of Georgia’s total trade volume, behind only Turkey. While Georgia’s total trade figures with the U.S. were around $1.9 billion last year, Russia’s intake of total Georgian exports is over four times larger than that of the U.S. and is critical for key sectors such as wine and agricultural products.
Remittances from Russia have also long been an important factor, as many thousands of Georgians journey to Russia for better work opportunities. While the total share from Russia is decreasing, some $540 million in remittances were sent from the country in 2024 out of a total of $3.4 billion, down from $1.5 billion the preceding year. Following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, significant numbers of Russians seeking refuge fled into Georgia, motivated by Tbilisi’s offers of visa-free travel and work privileges for up to one year for Russian citizens. Since 2022, these “relocants” have registered some 30,000 businesses and contributed to the Georgian economy (though their relative wealth when compared to their Georgian peers has intensified local inequalities).
From a security perspective, the Georgian government has been in an uncertain position vis-a-vis Russia since at least 2008, when Saakashvili’s government undertook actions in the breakaway region of South Ossetia that contributed to a direct conflict between the Russian and Georgian armed forces. Following this, Moscow recognized the independence of both South Ossetia and Abkhazia, the other breakaway republic, and Tbilisi severed diplomatic ties. Since then, Russia has increased its military footprint in the 20 percent of Georgian territory that these two de facto states exercise control over.
Like Ukraine, Georgia was also offered a pathway to future NATO membership earlier that year at the alliance’s Bucharest Summit. But, just as in Ukraine, Georgia’s NATO partners did not enter the fray when the Russian army was mere miles outside Tbilisi. The U.S. and Europe must recognize the immense recklessness and irresponsibility of encouraging countries on Russia’s borders to effectively challenge Russia when the West has zero intention of actually defending them from the potential consequences.
Since coming to power in 2012, the Georgian Dream party has explicitly sought to engage in “firm and principled” dialogue with the Russian government, believing, rightly, that there is no realistic military solution to its ethno-political conflicts and Moscow’s utilization of that discord for its own ends.
While still backing Kiev in international organizations and supporting Ukraine on a humanitarian level, the Georgian government has pursued an exceedingly cautious foreign and security policy since the outbreak of full-scale war in Ukraine.
Simultaneously, the Georgian Dream government has pursued domestic policies that seek to limit foreign financing of CSOs, media outlets, and political parties while stigmatizing those that accept such funding. While it is common in the U.S. and Europe for these policies to be used as justification for labelling the Georgian Dream’s rule as akin to “Russian-style tyranny” or even asserting that it is a “Russian puppet,” the reality is more nuanced. While the Georgian government may certainly be seeking to centralize power and reduce political competition, many in Washington would be hard pressed to morally justify why legislation such as MEGOBARI are necessary for Georgia when its neighbor, Azerbaijan, pursues much more dictatorial policies at home and a “multi-vector” foreign policy abroad and is by and large accepted, if not embraced.
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If put into law, MEGOBARI would likely further alienate the Georgian government from the U.S. and limit America’s ability to seriously influence local developments at a time when Washington is beginning to pursue a new policy toward Russia and its post-Soviet neighbors. Part of the risk of such legislation is that by effectively choosing sides in internal Georgian political processes and encouraging sanctions on individuals with broad justifications, the U.S. will inadvertently incentivize the Georgian Dream to pursue deeper relations with other, non-Western partners.
If Washington is truly fearful of Tbilisi drifting into the grasps of Moscow, Beijing, or Tehran, then it should pursue a policy of strategic empathetic engagement and linkage with the Georgian government. Doing so will not guarantee a subservient foreign policy from Tbilisi nor will it ensure that they dramatically reduce their relations with those other capitals. What it will do, however, is offer the U.S. the ability to sensibly influence decisions made in Georgia by engaging in diplomatic bargaining.
It is clear that under the Georgian Dream government Tbilisi is set on pursuing a foreign policy of diversification and hedging—what is widely called among former Soviet countries “multi-vectorism.” In an increasingly insecure world, not to mention region, such a policy makes eminently good sense from a Georgian perspective. Rather than seeking to reverse this trend, the U.S. may be able to achieve strategic benefits and, importantly, positively affect the human rights environment and state of democracy in Georgia by pursuing a more practical policy towards that country.
Georgia
How Georgia’s economy drew the World Cup—and how the World Cup will strengthen Georgia’s economy
Illustration by Dan Matutina
It’s the $1 billion dollar question: What prompted FIFA to choose Atlanta as one of the host cities for this summer’s FIFA World Cup 2026™? The answer is the same one that lures companies from all over the world to Georgia: the state’s robust economy, strong infrastructure, and cooperative culture.
Since the Olympics, Georgia has positioned itself as the Gateway to the South for global business. It has built a diverse industry base in fields such as agriculture, manufacturing, logistics, film and television, technology, and aerospace. Direct foreign investment is strong here: Atlanta is home to more than 70 foreign consulates, trade missions, and bi-national chambers of commerce.
One of Georgia’s biggest assets is global connectivity—by air, rail, road, and waterways, says Pat Wilson, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. Eighty percent of the U.S. population is within a two-hour direct flight from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world’s busiest passenger hub. Georgia’s interstate system provides 20,000 miles of federal and state highways, and the Port of Savannah is the fastest-growing container terminal on the East Coast. All of this allows sports fans, foreign dignitaries, and corporate executives to get in and out of Atlanta very easily. “And business follows connectivity,” Wilson says.
These factors, combined with Georgia’s long history of cooperation between the private and public sectors, helped seal its position as a host city. And that, in turn, will pay dividends.
Courtesy of Georgia Ports Authority
Courtesy of Stone Mountain
Photograph by GenePage/ AMC
Take, for example, tourism. Explore Georgia, the state’s tourism arm, is betting big that FIFA World Cup 2026™ could potentially catapult the state’s visitor numbers to unprecedented levels. To maximize the possibilities, it has launched a global marketing campaign in conjunction with the tournament, including ads on stadium and railway-station billboards in the United Kingdom. “We want visitors to make Georgia their home-away-from-home during the World Cup,” Wilson says.
Katie Kirkpatrick, president and CEO of the Metro Atlanta Chamber, is similarly bullish. Much like after the Olympics 30 years ago, she expects the city and state to leverage the global soccer tournament’s effects for decades to come. Economic-impact estimates range from $500 million to over $1 billion. “Atlanta does ‘big’ well,” she says. “And I’m confident that we will see increased foreign direct investment and show the world once again that here in Georgia, business culture and innovation naturally converge.”
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Georgia leaders from both political parties are paying tribute to longtime U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham following the South Carolina Republican’s death at age 71, remembering him as a dedicated public servant whose influence stretched far beyond his home state.
U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff said he joined others across the country in mourning Graham’s passing.
“I join in mourning Senator Lindsey Graham and extend my deepest condolences to the Senator’s family, friends, and staff,” Ossoff said.
Ossoff praised Graham’s military service and lengthy congressional career.
“Senator Graham dedicated his life to the United States, from his service in the U.S. Air Force to his representation of the State of South Carolina in the U.S. House and Senate. Lindsey was an energetic leader who loved South Carolina. May Lindsey’s memory be a blessing.”
Sen. Raphael Warnock also shared condolences, calling Graham a man of faith who served his state with determination.
“I am deeply saddened by the passing of my colleague, Senator Lindsey Graham,” Warnock wrote on X. “He was a man of great faith who served the people of South Carolina with passion and tenacity. I am praying for his family and his loved ones as they mourn this tremendous loss.”
Gov. Brian Kemp described Graham as a patriot and a friend whose impact reached across Washington.
“Senator Lindsey Graham was a patriot, an impactful public servant, and a friend,” Kemp said. “His love of this nation, unyielding belief in its possibilities, and defense of its values made him a true force to be reckoned with in Washington.”
Kemp added that he, First Lady Marty Kemp and their family were praying for Graham’s loved ones and for South Carolina during what he called a difficult time.
Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, who is challenging Ossoff in November’s U.S. Senate election, also reflected on Graham’s legacy.
“Leigh Ann and I are praying for Senator Graham’s loved ones during this time of immeasurable grief and reflecting upon his many years of public service,” Collins said.
Collins added that while he did not know Graham well personally, he admired the senator’s defense of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his 2018 confirmation hearings, calling it “a commitment to our nation and the truth that should be admired.”
Graham served South Carolina in the U.S. Senate for more than two decades after previously representing the state in the U.S. House. Throughout his career, he became one of Senate Republican’s leading voices on national security, foreign policy and immigration, while emerging as one of the Republican Party’s most influential lawmakers.
His death has prompted an outpouring of tributes from leaders across the country.
Numerous to widespread thunderstorms capable of producing damaging wind gusts, large hail, frequent lightning, localized flash flooding, and dangerous heat are expected across much of north and central Georgia today and tonight, according to the National Weather Service. A Heat Advisory is also in effect for portions of east central Georgia from noon until 8 p.m., with heat index values up to 106 degrees expected.
The National Weather Service issued a hazardous weather outlook for north and central Georgia for Sunday, July 12, 2026.
Bonus for the more weather-curious among you … To read an article about interpreting a weather news report with some of the typical terminology defined, follow this link.
What is in the Hazardous Weather Outlook?
The hazardous weather outlook states the following:
558 AM EDT Sun Jul 12 2026
This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north and central Georgia.
.DAY ONE…Today and Tonight…
A few thunderstorms will remain possible through the morning,
capable of producing lightning and brief heavy rainfall.Numerous to widespread thunderstorms are likely this afternoon and
evening. Some storms may become strong to severe and capable of
producing gusty to damaging winds, frequent lightning, large hail,
and localized flash flooding concerns.A Heat Advisory is in effect for portions of east central Georgia
from noon to 8PM. Heat index values up to 106 are expected..DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…Monday through Saturday…
Numerous to widespread thunderstorms are likely on Monday and
Tuesday. Some storms may become strong to severe and capable of
producing gusty to damaging winds, frequent lightning, and
locally heavy rainfall.Scattered afternoon thunderstorms are likely each day through
Saturday.
Counties included in the alert
- Baldwin
- Banks
- Barrow
- Bartow
- Bibb
- Bleckley
- Butts
- Carroll
- Catoosa
- Chattahoochee
- Chattooga
- Cherokee
- Clarke
- Clayton
- Cobb
- Coweta
- Crawford
- Crisp
- Dade
- Dawson
- DeKalb
- Dodge
- Dooly
- Douglas
- Emanuel
- Fannin
- Fayette
- Floyd
- Forsyth
- Gilmer
- Glascock
- Gordon
- Greene
- Gwinnett
- Hall
- Hancock
- Haralson
- Harris
- Heard
- Henry
- Houston
- Jackson
- Jasper
- Jefferson
- Johnson
- Jones
- Lamar
- Laurens
- Lumpkin
- Macon
- Madison
- Marion
- Meriwether
- Monroe
- Montgomery
- Morgan
- Murray
- Muscogee
- Newton
- North Fulton
- Oconee
- Oglethorpe
- Paulding
- Peach
- Pickens
- Pike
- Polk
- Pulaski
- Putnam
- Rockdale
- Schley
- South Fulton
- Spalding
- Stewart
- Sumter
- Talbot
- Taliaferro
- Taylor
- Telfair
- Toombs
- Towns
- Treutlen
- Troup
- Twiggs
- Union
- Upson
- Walker
- Walton
- Warren
- Washington
- Webster
- Wheeler
- White
- Whitfield
- Wilcox
- Wilkes
- Wilkinson
What is meant by “isolated” and “scattered”?
The NWS defines “isolated” as follows:
A National Weather Service convective precipitation descriptor for a 10 percent chance of measurable precipitation (0.01 inch). Isolated is used interchangeably with few.
“Scattered” has the following definition:
When used to describe precipitation (for example: “scattered showers”) – Area coverage of convective weather affecting 30 percent to 50 percent of a forecast zone(s).
Isolated thunderstorms and scattered thunderstorms are two terms used to describe different distributions of thunderstorm activity within a particular area. The main difference lies in the extent of coverage and how the thunderstorms are spatially distributed:
- Isolated Thunderstorms:
- Isolated thunderstorms are relatively rare occurrences that happen sporadically and are generally confined to a limited area.
- These thunderstorms are often characterized by being few and far between, with significant gaps between individual storm cells.
- Typically, isolated thunderstorms cover less than 20% of the forecast area.
- Despite their isolated nature, these storms can still be intense and may produce heavy rain, lightning, gusty winds, and possibly hail.
- Scattered Thunderstorms:
- Scattered thunderstorms are more widespread than isolated thunderstorms and cover a larger portion of the forecast area.
- In a scattered thunderstorm scenario, numerous individual thunderstorms develop, but they are not continuous or widespread enough to be classified as a “line” or “cluster” of storms.
- Scattered thunderstorms generally cover between 30% to 50% of the forecast area.
- Although scattered thunderstorms are more widespread, they still leave considerable gaps between storm cells, and not everyone within the forecast area will necessarily experience a thunderstorm.
In summary, isolated thunderstorms are fewer in number and more localized, covering a smaller area with significant gaps between storms, while scattered thunderstorms are more widespread, covering a larger area with numerous individual storms occurring somewhat randomly across the forecast area.
About the National Weather Service
The National Weather Service (NWS) is a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The NWS describes its role as follows:
The National Weather Service (NWS) provides weather, water, and climate forecasts and warnings for the United States, its territories, adjacent waters and ocean areas, for the protection of life and property and the enhancement of the national economy.
These services include Forecasts and Observations, Warnings, Impact-based Decision Support Services, and Education in an effort to build a Weather-Ready Nation. The ultimate goal is to have a society that is prepared for and responds to weather, water and climate events.
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