NATO, Georgia mull security issues

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has met with Georgian Defense Minister Juansher Burchuladze.

The meeting took place as part of a meeting of NATO defense ministers at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

Stoltenberg reaffirmed unwavering support for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Burchuladze thanked the Secretary-General for the support and welcomed NATO's resolute stance on the open door policy.

The sides discussed security challenges and threats. The Georgian minister spoke about the importance of expanding NATO's presence in the region amid growing challenges.

Prospects for deepening cooperation between NATO and Georgia were also discussed at the meeting. NATO-Georgia joint military exercises to be held in Georgia for the third time this spring have been in the spotlight. Defense reforms in Georgia and the professionalism of the Georgian military were praised.