On May 3, James Appathurai, the NATO Assistant Secretary-General for Emerging Security Challenges, visited Georgia to boost scientific cooperation in tackling new security challenges, including in the NATO Science for Peace and Security Programme (SPS) framework. 

Irakli Beraia, Defense and Security Committee Chairman, and other committee members met with James Appathurai. According to the Georgian Parliament, the conference was focused on Georgia's progress toward Euro-Atlantic integration and the necessity of accelerating its membership in the North Atlantic Alliance. They also discussed the need to strengthen NATO's practical assistance to Georgia to counter hybrid threats.

James Appathurai also met with Romeo Mikautadze, the First Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development. As part of the consistent policy of the Georgian government, the parties went into great detail on significant energy projects and methods to improve the nation's energy security. James Appathurai brought up the Black Sea undersea cable project in this regard, stressing that its realization is crucial for the growth of Georgia as well as the South Caucasus as a whole. According to the Ministry, the Deputy Minister discussed the outcomes of the first auction that were made public as part of the support system for generating and consuming energy from renewable sources. He asserted that the change would eventually make investing over $2 billion in the energy industry possible. According to Appathurai, Georgia has a lot of energy potential. Its resources enable it to boost installed capacity, which is crucial for any nation's economic development. The Assistant Secretary General took notice of Georgia's resolve to promote the growth of this vital industry. 

"Georgia is a crucial ally for all NATO countries," Appathurai said, underscoring the necessity for greater cooperation to maintain stability. He also spoke about ways that NATO and Georgia may work together even more closely, with an emphasis on energy security and cyber defense. Appathurai highlighted Georgia's crucial contribution to the energy security of the Euro-Atlantic region and indicated a willingness to cooperate to safeguard vital infrastructure. 

The official also emphasized the necessity of continuing Georgia's reforms, particularly about reducing political polarization. He urged progress in this area before the upcoming NATO summit: "Progress must be made in this regard, including as we look forward to the NATO summit that's taking place in July. Naturally, a wide range of problems will be on the agenda for NATO, but it's also crucial that a good signal be delivered from here on how we engage with Georgia and how we see larger integration challenges."

While there is no clear answer, James Appathurai stated that the Allies believe Georgia will eventually join NATO during the upcoming summit. Georgia is regarded as one of NATO's closest allies. It has a greater representation inside the alliance than any other non-NATO nation. He highlighted that Georgia is a major priority for NATO every day; however, because the document draft is still in progress, it is uncertain what the political wording would be addressing the open-door policy. However, he added that it is evident that Bucharest's commitment to Georgia joining NATO continues.