On August 21, Irakli Tuzhba, the de facto Acting Deputy Foreign Minister of separatist Abkhazia, stated that the Abkhazian Foreign Ministry has recorded significant changes in the approach of the new US administration toward the South Caucasus.

Commenting on the UN Security Council meeting dedicated to the events of 2008, Tuzhba recalled that following the session, several Western countries issued a joint statement supporting Georgia’s "territorial integrity" and condemning the presence of Russian military bases in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. He emphasized that such declarations had become traditional and "have nothing to do with objective reality," adding that "these documents are openly anti-Russian in nature and are aimed at maintaining permanent tension in our region."

Tuzhba drew attention to the fact that, for the first time in 17 years, US representatives refused to support the joint statement. He noted, "This precedent suggests that the new US administration may reconsider its attitude toward unconditional support for Georgia, which is typical for representatives of the Democratic Party, and abandon anti-Russian rhetoric in favor of establishing a dialogue and gradually restoring broken ties."

In Sokhumi, officials highlighted that Washington had, for the first time, effectively refrained from backing a document that reaffirmed Georgia’s "territorial integrity" and condemned Russia’s military presence in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Tuzhba stated, "This is a fairly indicative step, demonstrating significant changes in the approaches of the new US administration, which is focused on a more pragmatic policy that implies normalizing relations with Russia. Let’s hope that the current precedent will also reflect the changing views of the US political leadership regarding Georgia’s unfounded territorial claims."