Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Russia and the European Union are competing intensely for influence in Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and other countries.
The EU has the opportunity to forge a more effective policy in the Eastern Partnership region. Now it needs to harness the courage and vision to make a real difference.
A real discussion of the EU’s interests in Ukraine that moves beyond generalities may help member states avoid further frustrations and help the EU get more out of its relations with Kyiv.
Ukraine, the largest country that is wholly within Europe yet outside the EU, should receive a path to closer EU integration, but only if it meets a set of key conditions intended to demonstrate its commitment to basic European values.
Residential housing is the second-largest energy consumer in Ukraine after heavy industry. It accounts for 30 percent of the country’s total energy needs. The sector’s energy inefficiency is viewed as a critical factor in Ukraine’s dependence on Russian gas.
In November, the EU will convene a landmark summit of the Eastern Partnership, bringing together European heads of state with leaders of the six former Soviet Eastern Partnership countries.
Despite Viktor Yanukovych's promises of reform, an Association Agreement with the European Union has not gotten any closer.
All eyes are on Ukraine as it assumes the 2013 OSCE Chairmanship and set the agenda for the year.
Encouraging a multi-stakeholder dialogue and amplifying the voice of non-state actors acting in the public interest are key issues on which the Union should focus its assistance to the East.
What can be done to preserve the independence of the European media and ensure competition?