Civic IDEA was pleased to participate in the webinar “Armies and Nations: Georgian Military Since Independence”, featuring our Chairperson Tinatin Khidasheli, alongside Giorgi Shaishmelashvili, moderated by Shota Gvineria.
The discussion explored the evolution of Georgia’s armed forces since independence and examined a fundamental question: how prepared is Georgia to defend itself against today’s growing security challenges?
Georgia’s international missions in Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan played a transformative role in shaping its military. These experiences helped build a more professional, disciplined, and capable defense force by:
• Professionalizing the armed forces through merit-based military culture and institutional development
• Building interoperability with NATO allies and strengthening operational readiness
• Developing leadership, raising a new generation of experienced officers and non-commissioned officers
• Enhancing Georgia’s strategic credibility through meaningful contributions to global security
• Reinforcing Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations through sustained defense cooperation
At the same time, the discussion underscored an important lesson: military excellence abroad must be matched by strategic preparedness at home.
Georgia’s challenge today is clear: to preserve the professionalism and partnerships built over decades while ensuring that every reform strengthens one core objective—the defense of Georgia itself.
