Once Washington’s closest ally, Georgia to watch Vance’s Armenia and Azerbaijan visit from the sidelines, RFE/RL writes

Georgia was among Washington’s closest partners in the South Caucasus. That road now appears to be a dead end, or at least closed for repairs, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty writes.

Once Washington’s closest partner in the South Caucasus, Georgia now finds itself stranded in US regional diplomacy. And, as Tbilisi deepens ties with China while maintaining its engagement with Russia, Washington’s attention is increasingly shifting toward Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Nowhere was that more evident than at the recent launch of US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace initiative. Azerbaijan and Armenia received invitations to what the American leader calls “the most consequential bodies ever created.” Georgia was left out.

Now US Vice President JD Vance is arriving in the region on Feb. 9 — the highest ranking US official to visit the region since Joe Biden came as vice president in 2009 — and Tbilisi can only look on from the outside as he visits Baku and Yerevan.

As noted, for decades, Georgia’s importance rested partly on the unresolved conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Georgia served as a key transit route for Caspian energy exports and as Armenia’s main gateway to the outside world due to closed borders with Azerbaijan and Turkey.

As Baku and Yerevan move closer through a US-backed peace process, analysts say Georgia’s role as an indispensable transit corridor may diminish.