Ambassador Batu Kutelia is a Non-Resident Senior Fellow in FPRI’s Eurasia Program. He is a former Ambassador to the USA and former Head of Georgia’s Foreign Intelligence Service. He is a member of the board at the Atlantic Council of Georgia and Professor at the Alte University, Tbilisi, Georgia. He was co-author and TV co-host of the Foreign Affairs talk show at the Mtavari TV in 2020-2021. He is frequent contributor to the major national and international TV, printed and online media on the issues of national and international security, Russian hybrid warfare, defense and security sector reform and policies. He was Draper Hills Summer Fellow at the Stanford University in 2022, the Next Generation Leader Fellow at the McCain Institute for International Leadership, ASU, Washington DC in 2013-14, and NATO Defense College Research Fellow in 2001, Rome, Italy.

During his 17 years of public service from 1996 to 2013, he served in numerous senior diplomatic and national security positions, including Undersecretary of the National Security Council of Georgia, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States of America, Canada and Mexico, First Deputy Minister of Defense (in 2008 during the war with Russia), Deputy Minister and other political-military positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He has received awards from two Presidents of Georgia for conducting important negotiations and exceptional public service. He has been recognized by the US 111^th Congress for reinforcing and advancing US-Georgia strategic partnership.

Before turning to his diplomatic and political career Mr. Kutelia studied physics and holds a PhD in physics. However, he also holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration. Mr. Kutelia is fluent in English, Russian and Georgian languages.