The uncertain future of Eastern Partnership
By Laman Sadigova
Latvian Foreign Minister has recently announced that the Eastern Partnership Summit in May will be dedicated to the wartime topic.
Edgars Rinkēvičs said that he would like to see a more individual approach to each of the six Eastern Partnership countries, as well as strengthening cooperation in the field of energy.
The Eastern Partnership is an EU’s project, which primarily stated purpose is the development of integration ties between the EU and six CIS countries -- Ukraine, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia and Belarus. The need to revise the policy is dictated by the Ukrainian crisis and the necessity for a more flexible approach towards the EU's neighbors. Developments in Ukraine showed all participants the possibility of unexpected outcomes and unpredictable changes in the Partnership countries’ structure.
It is worth recalling that while the EU Eastern Partnership was originally considered an unpopular alternative, EU members are now more positive and upbeat about the project. At the same time, the creation of such Partnership aimed to control post-Soviet countries in the western and south-western borders of Russia.
Russian experts say the highest EU priority is to create alternative ways for Europe's energy supply. Also, the EU aims to undermine Russia’s geopolitical influence and strengthen its positions in the region.
EU members, especially Germany and France repeatedly intimated that CIS countries should not have great hopes when it comes to enter the EU, as the EU members are not looking to expand their borders further.
That being said, and in view of developments in the EU, western countries have an interest in rallying post-soviet countries to their side rather than see them return to Russia' s influence.
But what does the EU mean by saying that they are going to discuss the wartime? The current situation in the EU space does not seem to be stable, at least economically, not enough in any case to lend a helping hand to other nations around or solve someone else's problems.
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