On January 19, President Salome Zurabishvili told Fox News that Georgia is facing threats from Russian influence and the "puppet government." She called for renewed American attention to the region and stressed Georgia’s "pivotal" role.

Zurabishvili spoke about Georgia’s historical ties to the U.S. and the growing threat posed by Russia’s attempts to destabilize countries in the Caucasus and the Black Sea region, stressing that "Georgia can be tomorrow the big success to America or it can be the big problem for America in this Caucasus region."

U.S.-Georgia

Asked by the host about what’s the risk of Georgian government aligning with Russia, China and Iran Salome Zurabishvili said: "It’s about losing the strategic interest of America in this central region of the Caucasus," adding that this would be detrimental for the US interests in the larger Black Sea region.

She explained that the Kremlin’s tactics now include rigged elections and the installation of "puppet regimes" in Georgia and neighboring countries like Moldova and Romania. "Russia is trying a new strategy with Georgia, and eventually with Romania, Moldova and other countries, which is to try to win those countries over with rigged elections and through putting their own puppet regimes in place, not caring about democracy, about constitutions, just having devoted regime," she explained.

Salome Zourabichvili stressed that Georgia has been one of the biggest recepients of the US aid for 30 years, because it "represents strategic interests, energy roots, trade roots, the root to central Asia" adding that Georgia "basically has been the stronghold of democracy and of shared values." She said: "We need America, but I think America needs us too."

She further warned of potential risks if Georgia’s key Black Sea ports fall into the hands of China under the plans of what she referred to as the "de-facto government" currently in power.

Message to the New U.S. President and Administration

During the interview, President Zourabichvili also called on the U.S. to continue its support for Georgia expressing hope that the U.S. government would align with the Georgian people rather than the current regime, which she stressed lacks legitimacy and violates the constitution. "Never should people be sacrificed to serving some relations with governments that do not represent their own people," she emphasized.

During her working visit, Zourabichvili attended a pre-inauguration reception on January 18, where she met with key members of the future Trump administration, including Marco Rubio, the nominee for Secretary of State, and Pete Hegseth, nominated for Secretary of Defense. In an interview, Salome Zourabichvili described these meetings as initial steps to “bring Georgia to their minds” and establish first contacts with the new administration. "What I was trying to get from him [Marco Rubio] was the promise…to be able to meet," said Salome Zourabichvili, adding that she conveyed to Rubio and the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations her hope that "Georgia will not become one of their problems, but one of their solutions."

Zourabichvili also commented on her earlier meeting with Donald Trump in France, facilitated by French President Emmanuel Macron on December 8, 2024. According to her she used the opportunity to emphasize the urgency of U.S. support for Georgia, warning that the current unrest could escalate into a full-blown crisis. In response, she said, President-elect Trump reaffirmed his commitment to the U.S.-Georgia partnership, stating that he "values Georgia’s friendship with the U.S."

She said: "I ams sure he will be a strong ally for Georgia at the time when Georgia needs it."

When asked what she would like President Trump to convey to Russian President Putin during his call or a meeting she said: "Hands off Georgia! Hands off the Caucasus! It cannot become again a region dominated by Russia. Because that’s the interest of the Western countries…" She invoked the region’s history as a meeting place of civilizations and highlighted that Georgia is "the country in which society is a vibrant civil society that wants to be part of the community of values that is represented by Europe and the U.S."