Financial times: the European Union has lost the appetite for expansion to the East

At the forthcoming summit of "Eastern partnership" in Riga, the European Union is likely to temper their ambitions to expand, writes referring to the draft final Declaration of the summit.

at the conference, which will be held may 21-22 May occur and the discontent of those countries that most enthusiastically advocated integration with the EU. The story is about Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

All 3 countries have already signed with the EU the agreement on political Association and free trade. But As ordinary citizens will not soon feel the benefits of these agreements, Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova require more specific results. Kiev and Tbilisi pushing for visa-free regime, which will be a "carrot" for Residents and convince them that the benefits of cooperation with the EU.

However, at the conference in Riga, the European Union is unwilling to accept the prospects of countries for EU membership and to introduce a visa-free regime with Georgia and Ukraine. Unofficially, the EU recognizes that afraid of the flood of Ukrainian immigrants.

according to experts, this situation will nourish skepticism in the former Soviet republics " and will play into the hands of Russia. As the FT reports, Moscow sees in the project "Eastern partnership" attempt to involve neighbouring countries in the EU and NATO and undermine the Eurasian Union.

The Ukrainian conflict has put the European Union is faced with a difficult choice, As the deepening of relations with Kiev risks aggravating the discontent of the Russian capital. In addition, the European voters do not support further expansion of the block and the introduction of a visa-free regime.

according to the testimony of European diplomats that the issue of expansion has intensified the differences between the more cautious and EU countries - Germany, France, Spain, Italy and Poland, Sweden and Czech Republic. The discussion of language in their statements, it was very difficult.

in the end, recognize the employees of the foreign Ministry, the final document of the summit in Riga is a " typical European consensus with a signature that no one can understand."


sections: Politics