Chief of General Staff of the Georgian Armed Forces Major-General Vakhtang Kapanadze and Deputy Defence Minister Mikheil Darchiashvili attended the reception on board of the USS Vella Gulf, cruiser from the United States' Navy 6th Fleet.

Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili and members of the Georgian Government attended the event. The U.S. Ambassador to Georgia Richard Norland and Captain Katz hosted the guests on board of the U.S. ship. The USS Vella Gulf (CG 72), a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser from the United States' Navy 6th Fleet, made a port visit in Batumi on August 18 and will stay in the territorial waters of Georgia till August 20. The Vella Gulf's visit reaffirms the United States' commitment to strengthening ties with NATO allies and partners like Georgia, while working toward mutual goals of promoting peace and stability in the Black Sea region. Vella Gulf , homeported in Norfolk Virginia, is deployed in a multi-mission role in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations to contribute to regional maritime security, conduct bilateral and multilateral training missions, and to support NATO operations and deployments throughout the region. The U.S. Navy routinely operates ships in the Black Sea consistent with the Montreux Convention and International Law.