The decision was made due to “false accusations by the Georgian government” that the US was putting pressure on Tbilisi “to open a second front against Russia in order to reduce pressure on Ukraine and that they were participating in two coup attempts against the ruling party.”

“Therefore, the US government has concluded that this is an inappropriate time to conduct a large-scale military exercise in Georgia,” the statement said.

The statement comes amid a cooling of relations with Tbilisi after the republic pushed forward a Russian-style law against “foreign influence” that critics say is aimed at suppressing opposition groups and sparked mass protests.

In May, the United States imposed visa restrictions on “individuals responsible for or involved in undermining democracy in Georgia, and their family members” and announced a comprehensive review of bilateral relations.

Georgia's ruling party is facing numerous accusations that it is diverting the country from its path to EU membership and leading it back into Russia's sphere of influence.

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