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PhD student Olesya Vartanyan briefs U.S. Congress on the political situation in Georgia

Paul Snodgrass — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 19:53:11 +0000

PhD student Olesya Vartanyan briefs U.S. Congress on the political situation in Georgia Paul Snodgrass Wed, 03/04/2026 - 14:53

On February 11, 2026, Olesya Vartanyan, a first-year PhD student at �鶹��Ƶ's Carter School and conflict analyst with more than 15 years of field experience in the South Caucasus, took part in a congressional briefing on the political situation in Georgia. The event was hosted by the U.S. Helsinki Commission, a bipartisan body bringing together members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. In recent years, the commission has been a leading voice in shaping U.S. policy toward Georgia, particularly following the country’s political crisis triggered by the disputed parliamentary elections of 2024.

Olesya Vartanyan. Photo provided

Vartanyan was invited to share her assessment of developments in Georgia and to outline possible pathways toward resolving the protracted political standoff. Her long-standing work on conflict dynamics, negotiation processes, and crisis management in the region formed the basis of her recommendations.

This was not her first engagement with the U.S. Congress. In 2020, she testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on the situation in Georgia’s conflict regions, which remain disputed territories following multiple wars involving Russia. In 2024, she also briefed members of Congress on developments between Armenia and Azerbaijan after renewed cycles of violence in their decades-long conflict.

Her most recent appearance came at a particularly sensitive moment. More than a year into Georgia’s political crisis, tensions remain high between the ruling authorities and opposition forces. The Georgian leadership has sought to reset relations with the current U.S. administration, amid ongoing international concerns regarding the 2024 election results in Georgia, the detention of opposition figures, and the adoption of restrictive legislation affecting civil society. At the same time, the European Union has signaled the possibility of additional measures in response to democratic backsliding.

Olesya Vartanyan testifying before a hearing of Helsinki Commission leadership from the House and Senate in 2024.

The congressional event also took place against a broader geopolitical backdrop. The United States has shown increased interest in expanding trade and transport connectivity between Central Asia and Europe through the South Caucasus. Following U.S.-facilitated diplomatic efforts between Armenia and Azerbaijan in 2025, Washington has emphasized regional stability as a strategic priority.

In her remarks, Vartanyan structured her recommendations around three core lessons drawn from Georgia’s own political history. She argued that any sustainable reset in U.S.-Georgia relations must be grounded in a genuine political settlement inside the country. She outlined a roadmap centered on inclusive dialogue, compromise across political divides, and a longer-term vision for institutional reform.

“No process will succeed without a real prospect of equal access to power for all political groups,” she stated, arguing that technical reforms alone are insufficient if political actors do not believe that power can change hands peacefully. The process, she suggested, should include elements of transitional justice as well as political agreements capable of restoring public trust.

The United States, she noted, remains uniquely positioned to encourage meaningful dialogue. “No process can succeed without a strong external guarantor,” she said, referencing earlier moments when international mediation helped overcome political stalemate in Georgia.

She also cautioned that U.S. sanctions should be used strategically and paired with diplomacy. Drawing on comparative experience, she observed that punitive measures are most effective when complemented by political engagement; absent diplomatic follow-up, they risk entrenching positions and increasing pressure on vulnerable groups within society.

Linking domestic reform to international strategy, Vartanyan warned that “without meaningful contribution to a political resolution, no reset in U.S.–Georgia relations will be sustainable.” If the structural roots of the crisis remain unaddressed, she argued, Georgia risks entering repeated cycles of instability, with consequences for its sovereignty and for broader regional security.

The briefing attracted considerable attention both in Georgia and among policymakers in the United States and Europe. Broadcast live, it was followed by viewers in Georgia despite the late hour. Local media outlets widely reported on the discussion, and transcripts of Vartanyan’s remarks circulated in both English and Georgian. Commentators across the political spectrum described the proposals as a structured and actionable roadmap for beginning a credible political process.

Although Georgia’s political crisis remains unresolved, the congressional exchange reinforced the central message of her intervention: that stability cannot be achieved through tactical resets alone. By linking domestic political reform to broader regional and strategic considerations, Vartanyan’s remarks positioned crisis resolution not as a concession to one side, but as a prerequisite for Georgia’s long-term resilience and for effective U.S. engagement in the South Caucasus. At a moment of heightened polarization, her intervention introduced a policy framework that moved the discussion from managing crisis to resolving it.

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Congressman Don Beyer, �鶹��Ƶ student and lifelong learner

ckearney — Wed, 12 Apr 2023 18:30:32 +0000

Congressman Don Beyer, �鶹��Ƶ student and lifelong learner ckearney Wed, 04/12/2023 - 14:30

One of �鶹��Ƶ’s most popular students is also a nontraditional one: U.S. Congressman Don Beyer. And like many �鶹��Ƶ students, the 72-year-old is also juggling work and classes.

Rep. Don Beyer talks with ABC film crew at The MIX. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Creative Services

So far a TV crew from ABC News and a photographer from the Washington Post have accompanied the former Virginia lieutenant governor to his math classes to capture his education journey.

Beyer told the Washington Post that hearing about the work of �鶹��Ƶ’s Institute for Digital Innovation and the plans for Fuse during a visit to �鶹��Ƶ Square are what spurred his interest in furthering his studies.

“It was so impressive. I said, ‘Can I take courses here?’ ” Beyer is quoted by the Post as saying.

TV crew in Don Beyer's math class. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Creative Services

Beyer, whose full-time job involves representing Virginia’s 8th District and chairing the House science, space, and technology subcommittee, enrolled at �鶹��Ƶ in fall 2022 to begin work toward a master’s degree in computer science with a concentration in machine learning. Right now, he is working to complete several prerequisites in math and computer science before he can start his graduate program.

Beyer feels strongly that before the U.S. Congress can regulate or enact laws regarding technologies, such as artificial intelligence, they need to have a better understanding of the tools and their potential. And like a lot of �鶹��Ƶ students, he hopes to one day apply what he is learning in the classroom to his performance at his day job and use his AI knowledge in his legislative work.

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Wait. A Parrot Named John Adams? Seven-Term U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly Pays a Visit to Democracy Lab

Andrew J Schappert — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 14:07:22 +0000

Wait. A Parrot Named John Adams? Seven-Term U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly Pays a Visit to Democracy Lab Andrew J Schappert Tue, 11/08/2022 - 09:07

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Jennifer N. Victor

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U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) discussed his career in politics, current events, and his parrot named John Adams with students in the Schar School’s Democracy Lab. Photos by Ron Aira/Creative Services

Connolly: 'But the [close race] kind of liberated me in a way; I thought, if I lose my seat trying to do the right thing, well so be it.'

Some 25 students enrolled in the Schar School’s Democracy Lab learning community received a master class in “retail politics” the Friday before Election Day in the intimate auditorium of Eisenhower Hall on �鶹��Ƶ’s Fairfax Campus. Seven-term U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) was the political science professor for the day, at the invitation of Schar School associate professor Jennifer N. Victor.

Connolly, who represents Virginia’s 11th District, kicked off the hour-plus session with a few general observations about the political landscape—November 8’s Election Day loomed large—and several personal anecdotes, including the news that that his household has a patriotically named pet parrot, John Adams.

Having served on the Fairfax Board of Supervisors prior to his time in Congress for 14 years, five of them as chairman, Connolly is well-versed in the kind of hands-on efforts local politicians are called on to make. “It makes no difference if you’re a Republican or Democrat to fill a pothole,” he suggested. “A career legislator” who has bypassed the local level of government “actually hasn’t done anything.”

Which brought up a question from the students in the audience, one of whom asked which is more important, local, state, or federal government? After considering the question, Connolly said none was more important than the other but “democracy is built from the ground up.” As an example, the politicizing of local school boards, formerly run by well-meaning parents who “just want the best for their kids and your kids,” are now being taken over by “idealogues” with political agendas.

Government and international politics major freshman Zane Ryan-Hart, began a well-intended question that was cut off immediately by the congressman. The offending phrase? “Given that your seat is safe…”

“No seat is safe!” Connolly said firmly. “And do you know why? Money.” Specifically, “dark money” that’s parachuted into campaigns from unknown sources. He gave examples of contests that were far tighter than they should be thanks for dark money sources paying for ads vilifying candidates.

Once Ryan-Hart got to ask his question—“what did running in a close election really teach you?”—Connolly recalled the lessons learned from his surprisingly tight race in 2010 in which he won by the narrowest of margins.

“Well, it didn’t change my values or my voting patterns,” he said. “Maybe change my communication tactics. But 2010 was an extreme example. The Tea Party was toxic, it really was. They were unpleasant people. But the [close race] kind of liberated me in a way; I thought, if I lose my seat trying to do the right thing, well so be it.”

Other conversation points included relations with Turkey, the mindset of politicians (“All politicians are Pavlovian: They respond to reward and punishment”), what can be done about divisive politics (“It’s going to require a catastrophic loss by the Republican party to clean out all that stuff”), the historic successes of the last congress, attending October’s Crimea Forum with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, predictions for Tuesday’s elections (“We have a fighting chance to hold the Senate”), and his early experience in public speaking (“Catholic nuns are tough judges; be comfortable with yourself and be authentic”).

International Ukrainian first-year student Gabriella Grabovska, whose parents remain in her war-torn native country, thanked Connolly for his remarks about continuing bipartisan support for Ukraine and then took the opportunity to ask what can be done to improve funding of �鶹��Ƶ which is located in his district?

“That’s a state question,” he replied. “But in my opinion, Virginia colleges have come a long way, and we should be proud of them all,” he said, naming several public colleges in the commonwealth. “But if I were running for governor, I’d run on a platform of supporting state universities” even more, he said, because an educated workforce benefits the population at large.

“This is fantastic and I’m just super glad I got the opportunity” to meet with Connolly, Ryan-Hart said after the talk. “He gave me some insight on what’s going on in Washington and insights on the actual campaigns and their issues.”

“Now that I'm 18, now that I'm a voter, and especially as an independent voter, asking candidates questions and knowing their stances on issues is really, really important,” said government and international politics major John Brennan IV. “And it's my first time since being a registered voter that I've been able to ask a genuine question [of a politician]. And the question I asked [about the viability of election deniers as candidates] I think was very important given our current state of the nation and country.”

Connolly continues conversations with Democracy Lab students after the event.

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