Vasil Sikharulidze

Senior Fellow - Eurasia Program

Ambassador Vasil (Data) Sikharulidze is a Senior Fellow in FPRI’s Eurasia Program. He is former Georgian Ambassador to the USA and former Minister of Defense. He is member of the board of the Atlantic Council of Georgia as well as a lecturer at Tbilisi Open University and Ilia University, Tbilisi. Is is also member of political movement Droa.He was NATO Fellow 2001-2003 and Fulbright Visiting Scholar at Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University, Washington DC. He is co-author of a number of researches including “Analysis of Georgian National Strategic Communication System on the issues of Euro-Atlantic Integration” published in 2016. Research includes review, analysis of the national strategic communication system as well as policy recommendations to improve the system. Vasil holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Harvard University and MD in Psychiatry from Tbilisi State Medical University. He has 17 years of Public Service experience and held high ranking positions including those of the Minister of Defence of Georgia (December 2008 – August 2009); Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to the United States, Canada, and Mexico (Washington DC, US) (Dec 2005- Dec 2008); Deputy Minister of Defence, Undersecretary of the National Security Council of Georgia, Deputy Head of Georgian Mission to NATO and Head of NATO Division in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia.