NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow announced during a speech in Tbilisi on 30 January 2015 that the alliance intends to open a new military training centre in Georgia by the end of the year. The new training centre is part of a package of measures to boost Georgia's defence capabilities agreed at the NATO Wales Summit in September last year. This effort to strengthen both NATO’s relationship with Georgia and the nation’s military capabilities is likely to add to existing NATO-Russia tensions.
“The Centre could host live and simulated training and certification for Allied and partner military units, in particular for units committed to the NATO Response Force," Vershbow said. "And it could also host exercises and training in support of our Connected Forces initiative".