US DEFENCE Secretary Lloyd Austin pledged to help Georgia develop its defence capacity as he arrived in the capital Tbilisi today, on the first leg of his tour of the Black Sea region.

“Wheels down in Georgia. The United States is committed to helping Georgia build its defence capacity and advance its Euro-Atlantic integration, and I’m looking forward to my meetings here,” he tweeted as his plane landed.

He said he would be meeting senior officials in the former Soviet state to reiterate Washington’s support.

Mr Austin will travel to Ukraine and Romania before ending up in Brussels on October 21 to take part in a two-day Nato summit.

Washington has increased its activities in the region since it joined the European Union in backing a 2014 coup against the democratically elected government of Ukraine.

US-led military expansion recently saw 28,000 troops deployed as part of Nato military exercises, stretching from the Baltic to the Black Sea.

Mr Austin’s trip is seen as part of Washington’s efforts at shoring up support for opposition to Russian influence in the region, and its bid for regime change in Belarus.