A reset of relations is needed between Georgia and the United States, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said.

"Our interest and desire is to revitalize Georgian-U.S. relations. We stand ready for this and are waiting for steps in this direction from the American side," Kobakhidze told reporters on Thursday.

Speaking about U.S. military aid, Kobakhidze said that it is vital for Georgia. "U.S. military assistance is important for us, but promoting military cooperation is equally important for both Georgia and the U.S.," he said.

All sides should act pragmatically, he said.

At the same time, he noted that the recent statement in Washington that annual U.S. financial aid to Georgia might be suspended due to the adoption of the law On the Transparency of Foreign Influence has a background to it.

"One of the former U.S. ambassadors, Ian Kelly, in a conversation with me said that U.S. financial assistance to Georgia is mainly provided through non-governmental organizations. When it comes to funding non-governmental organizations, I would not call it assistance to the state," Kobakhidze said.

The law On the Transparency of Foreign Influence was endorsed by the Georgian parliament on May 14. Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili vetoed the law on May 18. The parliament overrode the president's veto on May 28. On June 3, Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili signed the law after Zourabichvili refused to do so.

From the day it was initiated in parliament in April by the ruling Georgian Dream party, the law has provoked an extremely negative response from opposition forces, who say it aims to "stigmatize" non-governmental organizations outside the control of the authorities and free media. The European Union and the U.S. urged the Georgian authorities to withdraw the law and warned that its adoption would block Georgia's path to the EU.

On May 28, Matthew Miller, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of State, said that the U.S. was disappointed by the approval of the law On the Transparency of Foreign Influence in Georgia and warned of potential negative consequences for relations between Tbilisi and Washington. "The United States condemns this action. The ruling party's actions and anti-western rhetoric threatens Georgia's democratic trajectory, future economic security, EU membership," Miller said.

In turn, Kobakhidze said on June 4 that Georgia will not accept directives from anyone in the world and will act exclusively based on its national interests. "We will defend our national interests till the end. Of course, we'll listen to everyone, and if there're reasonable critical remarks, we'll take them into account, but we won't follow anyone's directives," Kobakhidze said then.