The Eastern Partnership of the European Union in the Period of Turmoil and Transformations in Eastern Europe Cover Image

Partnerstwo Wschodnie Unii Europejskiej w dobie wstrząsów i przemian Europy Wschodniej
The Eastern Partnership of the European Union in the Period of Turmoil and Transformations in Eastern Europe

Author(s): Tomasz Stępniewski
Subject(s): EU-Accession / EU-DEvelopment
Published by: Centrum Europejskie Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego
Keywords: European Union; Eastern Partnership; Eastern Europe; Ukraine; Ukraine’s Crisis

Summary/Abstract: Eastern Europe (especially Ukraine) struggles with a significant number of problems, both internal and external in character. Euromaidan in Ukraine complicated the situation of the country even further. Some researchers believe the aftermath of Euromaidan sent the strongest shockwave since the fall of the USSR. In addition, the conflict results in geopolitical changes in Eastern Europe, but also influences conditions the European Union’s eastern policy is implemented in. The Eastern Partnership (EaP) is quite frequently considered an inefficient policy. Some go as far as to claim it has lost its raison d’etre. Observations claiming a decline of the EaP project are also made. Is it really true that the EaP project has failed to meet its objectives? The present paper constitutes a general review of the situation the European Union’s Eastern Partnership countries are in with regards to the armed conflict in Ukraine (the so-called Ukrainian crisis). The paper attempts to offers answers to the following questions: Will the EU be able to consider the position of EaP states in such a predicament? Will Poland, supported by the countries of the Visegrad Group (the V4), be able to convince EU member states to become actively involved in the matters of the East? Will Russia’s actions towards EaP states prevent the objectives from being reached?

  • Issue Year: 21/2017
  • Issue No: 3 (83)
  • Page Range: 183-193
  • Page Count: 11
  • Language: English, Polish