Georgia's location, nestled between the Black Sea, Russia, and Turkey, renders it strategically important. It is developing as the gateway from the Black Sea to the Caucasus and the larger Caspian region, but also serves as a buffer between Russia and Turkey. Georgia has a long and tumultuous relationship with Russia, but it is reaching out to its other neighbours and looking to the West in search of alternatives and opportunities. It signed a partnership and cooperation agreement with the European Union, participates in the Partnership for Peace, and encourages foreign investment. France, Germany, South Korea the United Kingdom and the United States all have embassies in Tbilisi. Georgia in 2004-2008 sought to become a member of NATO, but did not succeed in the face of strong Russian opposition.[1]
^Tsygankov, Andrei P. (2013). "The Russia-NATO mistrust: Ethnophobia and the double expansion to contain 'the Russian Bear'". Communist and Post-Communist Studies. 46 (1): 179–188. doi:10.1016/j.postcomstud.2012.12.015.
^"Diplomatska Lista / Diplomatic List"(PDF) (in Croatian and English). Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Affairs of Croatia. Retrieved 11 December 2023.