Ukraine and Eastern Partnership in the Context of the Polish-Hungarian presidency

Speeches of the participants of the plenary session of the fifth forum “Europe-Ukraine”, dedicated to the discussion of the future policy of the Eastern Partnership, can hardly add optimism to supporters of the European integration direction of Ukraine.

Objective and more than restrained are the estimates and expectations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine:

– statement of completion of the institutional stage of the formation of the Eastern Partnership;

– agreement with the urgent need to confirm the expediency and effectiveness of policy to achieve practical results;

– warnings on the reorientation of the European Union to the southern direction of foreign policy.

Critical estimates from the opposition with the introduction of the term “European integration by inertia” – lack of strategic direction, institutional support, lack of new initiatives, etc.

The continuous pollution of the Hungarian presidency in the European Union and the transfer of the Eastern Partnership Summit, which was to take place in May this year in Budapest, makes it impossible to hope for a significant Hungarian contribution to the Eastern Partnership during its presidency.

Four “pillars” of Poland’s activities in the second half of 2011, regarding the Eastern Partnership, are more like ambitious measures, which are important and necessary, but will not be able to significantly change the situation on the implementation of policy as a whole;

– holding a summit of the Eastern Partnership;

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– conducting an eastern partnership business forum;

– holding the Eastern Partnership Civil Society forum and the Eurostic Inter -Parliamentary Assembly.

Therefore, the result of such a discussion is that the year of the 20th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence will not become the year of the Eastern Partnership.