Visit of the Deputy Commander of NATO’s LANDCOM LTG Richard Cripwell

The Deputy Commander of the NATO LANDCOM, Lieutenant General Richard Cripwell is paying a two-day visit to Georgia. NATO's LANDCOM LTG Richard Cripwell is hosted by the Ministry of Defense and the Defense Forces. Today, the First Deputy Minister of Defense of Georgia Lela Chikovani and the Deputy Commander of the Georgian Defense Forces, Major General Zaza Chkhaidze held a working meeting with the Deputy Commander of the NATO Land Command. The Deputy Foreign Minister thanked Lieutenant General Richard Cripwell for NATO's unwavering support for Georgia's territorial integrity and sovereignty.

The sides discussed issues of NATO-Georgia cooperation. The talks focused on ongoing NATO-supported defense programs and multinational military exercises, including the NATO-GEO 2022 exercise in Georgia.

Georgia's significant contribution to international missions was especially noted. Lela Chikovani noted that it is important to increase the interoperability of the Georgian Defense Forces with NATO partners on the path to NATO integration. Discussing the issues of future cooperation, it was underlined that this year, for the first time, a Georgian officer will be appointed on a staff position in the NATO LANDCOM.

Today, the Deputy Commander of the NATO Land Forces met with the Commander of the Georgian Defense Forces, Major General Giorgi Matiashvili, where the sides discussed the ongoing defense reforms, NATO-Georgia cooperation issues and joint exercises. The Commander of the Defense Forces stressed the importance of cooperation between the NATO Land Command, and the Georgian Defense Forces and expressed hope for further deepening of the partnership. During the visit, Lieutenant General Richard Crippwell will also visit the NATO-Georgia Joint Training and Evaluation Center (JTEC).