For the first time since the 2008 Bucharest Summit Decision, the NATO Washington Summit Declaration, adopted by the heads of state of the allied countries on July 11, fails to reiterate the formula that “Georgia will become a member of the Alliance with the Membership Action Plan as an integral part of the process.”

This follows the dramatic deterioration of relations with Georgia’s Western partners during the past two years. The NATO officials have voiced their concerns about Georgia’s “stalled reforms” since 2022 and urged Georgia to be “ready for the decisive moment” in 2023.

The Washington Summit Declaration mentions Georgia once, in paragrapgh 17, where it issues a “call on Russia to withdraw all of its forces from the Republic of Moldova and Georgia, stationed there without their consent.”

Georgia is not mentioned in the paragraph 28, which is dedicated to partner countries and mentions Moldova, as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina. The mention is absent also from the article related to Black Sea region (article 31).

The NATO Washington Summit adopted series of concrete decisions for providing financial, logistical, training and equipment support to Ukraine. The Declaration speaks about “irreversible path” of Ukraine “to full Euro-Atlantic integration.”