The United States has indefinitely postponed joint military exercises with Georgia amid a comprehensive evaluate of its bilateral relationship with Tbilisi, the U.S. Defense Department announced on July 5.
The U.S. government initiated a full review of its relationship with Georgia on May 30, soon after the Georgian parliament passed a controversial bill requiring organizations that receive foreign funding to be labeled as "foreign agents."
The joint exercise "Noble Partner," originally scheduled to take place in Georgia from July 25 to Aug. 6., will be put on hold indefinitely, the Defense Department announced.
The Georgian government falsely accused the U.S. of pressuring Georgia "to open a second front against Russia to alleviate pressure on Ukraine," prompting the decision, according to the Pentagon.
The decision was not made "lightly," the Defense Department said.
"The United States will continue to partner with the Georgian Defense Forces as we look to continue strengthening Georgia's ability to safeguard its sovereignty and maintain its territorial integrity," the briefing said.
The U.S. implemented the first tranche of sanctions against Georgian government officials on June 6, imposing travel restrictions on individuals "responsible for or complicit in undermining democracy in Georgia."
Nate Ostiller
(Updated: )
