WASHINGTON: Spokesperson for Pentagon Major General Pat Ryder has said the decision to postpone joint military drills was prompted by the Georgian government’s rhetoric saying the US seeks to escalate tensions in the region.
He told Voice of America on Tuesday that the US values its longstanding bilateral ties with Georgia and continues dialogue. Earlier, the US postponed joint military exercises with Georgia for an indefinite period.
Major General Pat Ryder said the decision to cancel these exercises was made because of very concerning rhetorical statements by the Georgian government that the United States intentionally seeks to escalate tensions in the region, which is false completely.
He accused Russia of trying to escalate tensions in conflicts, such as in Ukraine. “Therefore, I emphasize again, we will continue to seek avenues for bilateral engagement with Georgia. We value our partnership. [Georgia] plays an important role in the region, and we will continue to pay special attention to this,” he said.
He noted that Russia is employing hybrid warfare tactics in many places. “We are aware of this. We will continue working with partners in the region to mitigate these threats,” added Major General Pat Ryder.
The military official said the US seeks a safe, stable, and free Europe.
On July 6th, it was announced that the US indefinitely postponed the joint American-Georgian military drills which were scheduled to be held from July 25th to August 6th.
The US Department of Defense, in an official statement, said the decision was made as part of a reassessment of ties between the two countries and was prompted by false allegations by the Georgian government against the US and other Western entities.
