DISINFO: Eastern Partnership initiative aims to remove Russia from conflict settlement
SUMMARY
The Eastern Partnership refers to 6 post-Soviet countries. What was decided? Nothing. The question was put categorically - you are either with us for everything, or with Russia.
They are trying to remove Russia from all groups for the settlement of all conflicts in the post-Soviet space. At the same time, the contacts of these countries in the socio-economic and humanitarian spheres with Russia are broad and deep, rather than with Europe.
Potentially, EU membership is currently only possible for Moldova and Ukraine, but this is doubtful.
RESPONSE
Recurrent Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the Eastern Partnership (EaP), claiming that this is an anti-Russian instrument.
The Eastern Partnership (EaP) is a joint policy initiative that aims to deepen and strengthen relations between the European Union (EU), its Member States and its six Eastern neighbours: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. Within this framework, guiding the EU's relations with its neighbours is the EU’s Global Strategy and the European Neighbourhood Policy, which calls for the need to focus on increasing the stabilisation and resilience of the EU's Eastern neighbours.
It is by no means directed against Russia. However, Russia, in line with its claims about what it calls its “sphere of influence”, perceives any unsanctioned bilateral relations with these countries formerly under Moscow’s orbit as a threat to its interests.
It is a mutually beneficial and constructive platform for countries in the region to build a closer relationship with the EU if they choose to do so.
The concept of this voluntary partnership is "more for more" - those countries wanting to develop closer relations with the EU may do so, while other countries choose other levels of contact. The best examples of the diversity in the EaP are the paths chosen by the different countries themselves. See the EaP Summit December 2021 results here.
The EU does not demand that any of its partners choose between the EU or any other country. The Eastern Partnership was not an obstacle for Armenia and Belarus to join the Eurasian Economic Union.
On 28 June 2021, the Belarusian regime took a unilateral decision to suspend (not terminate) its participation in the Eastern Partnership; a step that was met with broad criticism.