USA Foreign Policy in Transition: How a Biden Administration Impacts Georgia

The dramatic 2020 USA presidential elections are finally over with Joe Biden having defeated Donald Trump. [i] A new administration means new conditions for USA foreign relations in general, and of importance to us, Georgia. This piece focuses on the revitalization of traditional alliances, the promotion of democratic values beyond the USA, and Biden’s expected stance with Russia, all of which impact strategic relations between Washington and Tbilisi.

Biden’s “America Back” plan (Biden 2020; Manson and Weaver 2020) may open up new opportunities for the USA’s small, strategic partners such as Georgia. Restoring USA’s currently damaged relations with the transatlantic community will bring stability to Tbilisi and allow it to continue its commitment to a joint Western security agenda. Additionally, Georgia can benefit from the Biden administration’s “democracy promotion” plan which can lead to greater cooperation in the democratization process (Biden 2020). Finally, given Biden’s recent confrontational stance toward the Kremlin, Georgia can enhance its role as a reliable ally on Russia’s border, leading to enhanced security and defense cooperation between the two states.

[i] Joe Biden was projected to be the winner of the 2020 US Presidential Elections on November 7 by the Associated Press and key US news outlets. Donald Trump has refused to concede claiming fraud in some of the states.