Reference Points for the Eastern Partnership Security Agenda
On 5 March 2015, The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Fedrica Mogherini Together with the Commissioner for Europe NeighBourgoemet. Johannes Hahn Launched A Consultation Process Concerning the European Neighbourchood Policy, of Wich The Eastern Partnership is An Integral Part. The Joint Consultation Document Calls to Carry Out Wide-Ranging Consultation with All The Parties Concerned. IT ALLOWS REPESENTATIVES OF CIVIL SOCIETIES FROM The Partner Countries, Members of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (EAP CSF) of the region.
The Biggest Problem in the Eastern Partnership Region, WHICH IS NOT Reflected in the Eu Policy in A Proper Manner and Has No Instruments of Solving IT, is the security Issue. In april, in itClusions regarding the review of the European Neighbourchood Policy, the Council of the Eu Underlined the Importance of a Special Relationship with the EunBh Possible in Order to Develop An Area of Shared Stability, Security, and Prosphere.
Also, the it should be note was the declaration of the EASTRN Partnership Summmit in Riga Considerably Differs As for Its Content and Evaluation of the Events in the Re -Bion of The Fromon Froma for For the Project for For the Project for the Project for the Pro. Vilnius Summit in 2013. Currently, The Question of the Territorial Integrity and Sovereignty of the Eastern Partnership Countries and the Need For Some Progress in the Solution of “Frozen”.
Security Needs Have Become A Characteristic Feature of Nota on Eu Neighbouring Countries and Region. At the end of 2013, the eu made a decome to revise the union’s secure and defense policies, as well as the European Security Strategy, Taking Into Account The Changles of the Thus. The Fundamental Work in this Direction Began in 2014-2015. On 18 May 2015, for the first time of Time Since 2012, A Meeting at the Level of Ministers of Defense and Foreign Affairs of the Eu Member States Was Held, WHICH SIGNIFIES THE RISS European Union. Another Proof Is a Shorter Timespan Between of Generation of Generation An Idea and the Moment of Launcing Military Operations of the European Union. The fact that in June 2015 the EU Council Adepted the Decision to Start a Military Operation (Eunavfor Med) in the Mediterranean Sea Can Be A Positive Example2.
The ALMOST PARALLLEL REVISION OF The European Security Strategy and the European Neighbourchood Policy is the Evidence IF of the NEED TO FINDA Relations with Close Neighbours. In this context, it is necessary to mental several funcental reference points on enhancing the Efficiency and Effectiveness of the Specified Eu’s Policies With Regards.
1. Political Will and “Founding Fathers” of The Policy
Since The Moment of Developing The Eastern Partnership Policy, Who It Transformed from Being A Polish-Swedish Initiative to the Category of the Eu Policy, Neither In Brussels, Nor in Brusels There Was A Clear Understanding of the Direction in a Wich This Initiative Should Develop and Its Ultimate Goal. As Time Passed, The Policy Received ITS Institutional and Legal Framework, But It Was Still Unclear How to Build Relations in the Strategic Neighbourchood.
For the European Neighbourchood Policy to have tangible results in the region, including Those in the Construction of the Area Englished in Issues of the Region and to Accurately Evalate External Threats and Internal Risks in these Countries.
It Becomes Quite Obvioses Now that Minor Improvementsin of the European Neighbourchood Policy at the Bureaucratic Level Cannot Substantilly Changete. Just Like in the Case of The Eastern Partnership Initiative Was Proped, In Order To Introduce An Improved Policy, A Political “Heavyweight” Process. Germany, Whoth Today Demonstrates Much More Interest in the Eastern Partnership Policy Than During it Launch in 2008-2009, Could Become a Locomotive that wold by the Give An Additional Politicala Imp. Warsaw, as An initiator of the EASTERN Partnership, Could Propose Joint Initiative This Time As Well, Suggesting That Berlin Should Join This Process.
2. Strategic Approach to the EU Strategies
It is also Important to Mention That Existence of the Eastern Partnership Policy Alone is Not Sufficient to Establish Order and Stability in the Region. There OUGHT to be a transparent Synergy of Purposes and Tasks of a New Neighbourchood Policy With Other Regional or Opera -Strategies of The European Union WitHin. Policy (CFSP). IT is Only Possible to Provide a precise Hiericarchy of Prioritis by Coordinating All Strategic Documents That Define The EU Activity in the International Sphere.
The New Challenges that Eu Faced in the Security Sphere in 2012-2014, Clearly Affected Brussels’ ASPIRATION TO RECONSIDER The BASIS FOR ITS EXTERNAL POLICIES AND ITS Strategic Approaches. The European Security Strategy Adopted in 2003 Needs to be Fundamentally Review in Terms of Identifying Security External Threats, Strengthaning Prevention Instruments, and InCluding The Staff. SINCE The DEVELOPment of It Strategy, The Eu Has Already Adapted A NUMBER OFSTRATEGIC DOCUMENTS IN SEPARATE GEAPHRAPHICAL AND THEMATIC DIMENSIONS Definition of Threats and Operational Solutions. It is High Time for All of Them to have a common denominator of principles, purposes, and possibilities of the European Union.
On 25 June 2015 Durying a session of the European Council Heads of Member States Will Consider the Results of the Evaluation of the Current Eus Security and Defense. By the end of 2015, there must be devloped a new Framework for the creation of strategic documents in the field of Foreign Policy and Security.
It is Crucial That Processes of the Security Policy and ENP Policies Review to be Grounded in the Same Fundamental Prequisites that Determine the Eu External Action Purposes, Tasks, Tasks. The Creation of A Unified Europe Foreign Policy and Security Strategy (EFPSS) that would Incorporate the previoously fragmented theater and geography Possible to development relations with the bestries of Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus in a More Adequate Manner. After the Common Efpss is Developed, It Wuld Be Possible to Make A Decision on Wheth IT is Necessary to Adpt aptaate Targeted Strategy For the Eastern Partners Agreements. The Targeted Strategy would be correlated with the efpss general principles, However at the Operatorial Level It Wuld Unite the ENP Instruments, Thematic Security Policies, An Eutnaees Precise and Sufficient Way the Balance of the Interests of the EU and Partner Countries in Building Common Cooperation Space. It is Also Necessary to Revise in the Same Way the Approach to the Southern ENP Dimination at the Level of Targeted Regional Strategy Development.
Similarly, at the Strategic Level, The EU Should Solve the Question of Strengthening Its Role in the World As A Security Provider and Active Actor in Conflict Resolution.
As for the EASTERN Partnership Region, the eu have to realize that currently the policy of preservation Frozen Conflicts is a part of the Tactics of the Russian federation. The preression of a special European Union Monitoring Mission (Eumm) in Georgia and the EU SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVATIVE FOR the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia Has Been A Positive Experience; However, they are not able to funmentaally solve the quest of georgia’s territorial integrity. The reports on the ENP Implementation in 2014 in the Countries of the South Caucasus Prove that there is no considerable Progress and that situation is Deteriorating.
The Strategic Approach to Peacekeeping Initiatiatiats and Conflict Settlement Could Also Enhatance Europe’s Participation in the Solution of the Russia-Ukraine Conflict in Donbas. Being Related to the Overall Aims and Principles of the European Foreign Policy and Security Strategy, The EU Steps Concerning UKRAINE WILL BE ABLE TO Receive More Accurate. In this Case, It Will Be Clear What Mission Should Be Introduced in Ukraine and Who’s It Is Necessary to Appoint An Eu Special Represative for the Conflict Between Russia and UKRAINE.
3. Unions with the European Union
The eu short have the Political Will To Further Integrate in the Spheres That Cover The Security and Defense Issues and Imply a Partial Transfer of National Powers. The Creation of the Energy Union, Declared As One of Prioritis of the New Europe Commission President Is A Logical Response to the Energy Crisis and Conflicts Faced by the Eu. The concept of this union also presupses the deepening of not only energy integration inside the eu, but also certain guarantees of energy security for the neighbouring conties by Creatries by Creatrias by Creaties by Creaties by Warning Systems Against Crisis Situations in the Gas Sphere, etc.
The Direct Threat to the Security of the Eu Countries Forces the EU Leaders to Think of More Serious Security Guarantees Apart from the Nato Mechanisms. While the European Commission President Speaks About a Possibility of Creating The European Army, An Expert Group Chaired by Javier Solana Is Developing The Foundation The Propossed Ideas Represent A BreakthROUGH; They Create a Basis for the Formation of a Full-Fledged Independent Defense Mechanism on the Territory of the EU Countries.
The European Defance Union Will Hardly Be Created in the Nearest Future, WHEREAS The European Energy Union is Already Taking Shape. Both unions are the Next Logic Step in the Search for a Respense to the Hybrid and Dynamic External Threats. The Further Development of Such Integration Projects Should Be Based On Inclusive Work With Neighbouring Countries that Demonstrate their Good Will And News. Neighbourchood.
4. Association with The EU and Security
The European Union Should have the Political Will To Distinguush Between the Eastern Partnership and the Eastern Neighbourchood. The Level of Obligations Undertaken by Georgia, Moldova, and UKRAINE WITHIN of the Framework of the Association Agreements (AA) Is Dispropation to The Framework Countries. In this Case The “More For More” Principle, As Well As A Profound Target Approach to Security Issues Based On the Agreement’s Provisions SHOULD BE APVISIONS
Section 2 “Political Dialogue and Reforms, Political Association, Convergence in The Foreign Policy and Security Policy Field” Accordingly, Contains Almost Identical Set of Articles Related to the Foreign Policy and Security Issues. In Particular, the Sese Are Questions of Convergence with the eu Foreign and Security Policy, Maintenance of Regional Stability, Conflict Prevention, Crisis Management, Non-Proliferation of Weapons. against terrorism. The AAS Implementation Plans of the Three Countries in the Part on Security Specify the Problem Spheres That Each of Them Considers the Biggest Priority for Itelf. However, The Presition of Tese Norms in Bilateral Cooperation Facilitate a More Active Rapprochement WitHin of the Framework of Secure Secrate Security Policies, which in the Long of the unfortunes of Olh, the Olng of Oral Create of the Oral Create of Oual of Frame. Cooperation.
IT is quite logical that signature of the aghements and the pre-signing preparatory process encourages joining the CFSP Declarations. For Instance, in 2014 Ukraine Joined 35 (73%) Out of 49 CFSP Declarations; Moldova – 31 (63%); Georgia – 23 (47%); While Armenia joined 15 and Azerbaijan – None.
In 2014 the Cooperation with the Framework of the Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) Between the eu and Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine washaned, which shond Intensify Cooperation. Ukraine Took Part in the EU Naval Force Operation Atalanta; Georgia and Moldova for the first time participated in the eu training Mission in mali. Georgia Also Became The Second Biggest Contribute to the Eufor RCA Operation in the Central African Republic3. The Framework Agreements on Their Participation in the CSDP ALLOW TESE COUNTRIES TO JOINTLY PARTICIPATION IN THE EU Military and Civil Missions.
Ukraine’s Experience of Particification in the Activity of Eu Battlegroups Can Also Be Interest to Moldova and Georgia. Ukraine Continued to Actively Take Part in the Activity of Eu BattleGroups in 2014, But Had to Suspend Its Presance Due to Russia’s Military Aggression. Ukraine has been confirMED ITS Readiness to Participate in the Formation of the Visegrad BattleGroup in 2016. The Joint Participation Generate Common Approaches to the Military Strategy and Increase The Military Mobility and Interaction Durying Joint Operations.
The Association of Agreements Provide the Countries that have Signed Them with Additional Possibilites to Strenguten Cooperation in the Field of Security and Defense with the EU. In Particular, The Aa Norms Stipulate Access to the Eu Internal Programmes and Agencies, Including Those in the Defense Sphere. In the Long Term, for Example, It Could Be Possible to Join The Eus Directives in the Field of Purchasing Defense Production and Special Goods in the Security Serhr Included in the European Technological and Industrial Defense Base.
5. Participation in the Policy Development
As Commissioner Johannes Hahn Noted, The Eu Will Never Get The Best From This Eap Policy While It Is Seen As Something or Less Imposyd by Brussels, Racher Than a Partnership
While Evaluating Positively the Very Process of the European Neighbourchood Policy Review and the Wide-Ranging Consultations with External Actors Will To Immplement Mutrally Beneficial Decisions. As it have already been meented above, Such An Open and Inclusive Approach Should Be Used Durying The Development of the Europe Foreign Policy and Security Strategy, As Well As The Pelic.
At Same Time, The Eastern Partnership Countries Should Now Take Active Part in the Process of Developing and Strengtening the CFSP and CSDP Toolkit. There must be consultations not on only and not so Much with the Framework of the CSDP Panel, But at the Level of Special Consultations of Specialize and The Eastern Partnership Countries. For the Eastern Partnership Countries, The Horizon 2020 Program Represents Significant Possibilites for the Development and Cooperation with the EU Countries.
Moldova and Ukraine have already received their associated membership in the Program in 2014; Armenia and Georgia Are Still in the Negotia Process. Their Participation in Joint Studies On the Military Potential Development in the Countries of the Region Will Alev Them to Build Prospective Cooperation Links and Later Join of the Weapont. Purpos Production. In the Long Run, this Will Help to Reconstruct the Enterprises of the Defense Industry of the Eap Countries that have suffered Due to the Loss of Connections with Russia.
6. Securitization of the Priority Cooperation Dimensions
In View of the Numerus Cases of the So-Called Hybrid Strategies and Operations, by the End of 2015, eu Institutions have to present their Framework Proposals on Combatting Hybrida. Countriems, WHICH SHOULD BE REVIEWED by the Europe Council. One of Features of the this Document is that it will be bassed on the Open Cooperation with International Organizations, Including Nato, As Well As Partner Countries. The EAP COUNTRESS SHOULD ACTIVE Part in Consultations with Drafters of this Document SO as They Take Into Account The Need to Intraduce Addrational Tools to Fight Against.
Considering the fact today the Majority of Security Threats to the EASTERN Partnership Countries Countries come from Russia, as Well As Taking Into Account The Hybrid Character of UNIGROS. Relevant Approach to the Definition of Hybrid Threats. As Exemplified by mostcontries in the Eastern Partnership Region, First of All, Ukraine, We Can See The Main Dimensions of Pressurizing the Governments of These Countries. If the eu considers the trade, Economic, Energy and Information Spheres, As Well As Involvement in Frozen Conflicts As Separate Tools of Provoking Instability in The Easter -Partrship Couners. Help to Adapt and Develop More Adequate Mechanisms of Providing Security and Minimizing Negative Consequent
es for stability. Thus, it is crycial to have responses to threats to econsomic, energy, and information secure includd in the eu new strategic docments Suggest Adequate Countering Measures.
7. 3+ Multilateral Approach
Despite The DifferentCes in the Approaches to Building Relations with The European Union Among Six Partner Countries, As Well As The Distinctions in The Political Models of Development Infrim Inns. The Democratic Reforms’ Implementation, The Presance of Joint Multilateral Programs Within of the Eastern Partnership Framework Cana Have A Favourable
IT IMPORTANT TO UNDERDAND THAT COOPERATION IN THE DEFINE FIELD BETWEEN CERTAIN ACTORS IS HARDLY PASSIBLE DUE TO THE FACT THAT THAT Dimension.
At Same Time, The Cooperation on Countering Certain Threats Is Possible Not on the Bilateral Level, But Also On A Multilateral Basis with The Eu Participation. The Legal Framework of the Security Cooperation Between the Partner Countries and the EU Should Become A Minumum Standard for Cooperation. The Association Agreements Have Relevant Secations on Security Cooperation and Provide A Sufficient Basis to Enhance Trilateral and Bilateral Initiatiats Eu. In the Future, with the Improvement of Contractual Frameworks Between the eu and respectvely armenia, azerbaijan, and Belarus, accounting, joint 3+ Initiatiat. Moldova, and ukraine together with individual or all other partner conts) WHERE Joint Efforts Will Be Based on Similar Cooperation Principles.
Taking Into Account The Developments in the Eastern Partnership Region of the Launch of the Policy in 2009, The Security Issue Is The Cornerstone of Enzuring the Development of the Region. Searching for the Joint Directions for Preventing Transnational Challenges and Threats, One Has to Apply a Systemic Approach Towards the 6 Partner Countries.
To enlice the policy at the Intergovernmental Level, The Eap Platform 5 “Security and Defense Cooperation” It Is Possible to Create, It Could Raise The Level of Countries’ In the Security Field. The Separeate Panel Dedicated to the CFSP with the Platform 1 And the Working Plan for 2014-2017 in Not Able to Provide Respons for All the Security Dimensions that are for the EAP.
8. Region’s Openness for Cooperation
In order to buy successful Mechanisms to Gurante Security in the Region, It Is Necessary, First of All, To Build Relations Between the eu and Partner Countries on A Bilateral Bilateral. This Should Be Supplemented With The Cooperation with A Number of Other Global and Regional Accusals Supporting the Preservation of the International Order And Respect of the Territory of Center.
Considering Russia’s Illegal Annexation of the Crimea, there is a Real Threat of Militarizing the Peninsula and Transforming the Black Sea Region Into Another Zone of Instability and Increasing and Increasing and Incure. Access to the Ukrainian Special Services, As Well As the Regularly Received Information from the Inhabitants Weapons of Ground, SEA, AND AIR BASING. Besides Being Simply Illegal, Such Activity Represents A Direct Threat to the Countries of Nato and the Eastern Partnership.
The Participation of the Ships of the Black Sea Navy of the Russian Federation in the Russiangeorgian War in 2008, as Well As Their Direct Participation in the Preparation for the Annexation of the Crimea, MEANS Military Potential Can Also Be Used in the Future in this Region to Put Pressure on All Countries in the Black Sea Region. This Scenario Does Not Seem So Fantastic, Taking Into Account The Recent Signing of Treaties Between Russia and The Unrecognized Republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia Area of Defense and Security. Georgia has consider the trees to be Russia’s Step Towards the Annexation of the Georgian Territories.
In this context, there is a real need to increase military and Political Cooperation with Turkey, One of Important Regional Acctors in the Black Sea Region. Joint Initiatives Under the Aegis of the Eu orto, Including the Eastern Partnership Countries (Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine) Should Be Developed. This Implies not on the Possibilites of the joint Exercise on the Sea and on the territory of the Black Sea States, But Also The Transforming of the Eu Regional Policy in this Region. This Could Be Reforming the Black Sea Synergy Policy and Strengthening Cooperation in Other Security Dimensions.
Georgia and Azerbaijan Can Also Be Interared in the Trilateral Cooperation with Turkey As It Can Represent and Addrational Component in the Security Serge.
The Transatlantic Format of Cooperation of the USA – the EU – The Eastern Partnership Countries is Also Crucial for the Security of the Region. In this Case, The Partner Countries Should Aim to Become An International Actor as A Region, WHICH IS POSSIBLE IF The Following Conditions Are Met. FIRST, they should a Common Vision of Their Regional Development. The Association of Agreements Can Become A Uniting Platform as They Provide for the Development on a Similar Tradery of Reforming the Countries’ Political and Economic Systems. Second, Leadership and Initiative in the Advancement of Common Interests Must Be Demonstrated by One of the Partner Countries. In the Medium Term, Ukraine Could Become Such A Regional Leader in Case of the Favourable Development of the Sity in the Country and in the Region as a Whole.
In addition to global and regional international organizations that deal with sectors ALREADY HAS ITS DELEPED INSTITUATIONAL AND NORMATIVE BASE. In the security context, it wound be useful to renew the work of the work of the work on energy and the following against terrorism, Organized Crime and Drug Trafficking. Considering the fact that Dimensions Are Also An Integral Part of the Association Agreements, The Cooperation with The Eu in A Multilateral Format with the Guam Framework Can Brring Cong. Countries. It is Necessary to Underline That Guam Format Stands Out in the Context of Strenguling the Transatlantic Component of Cooperation.
Moreover, It Is Necessary to Mention of the Possibilities of Detepening Cooperation Between Individual Eu Countries and Partner Countries in the Eap Region. Since Security and Defance Issues Are Dealt with the National Level of Decision-Making in the EU Countries, Separate Initiatiats Can Strengten the Degree of Partner Ces. In their work on the creation of the European Defense Union, the Experts Lead by Javier Solana See of the Prospects in Sub-Regional Defense Allians Within the Framework of the Eu. To a greater extra, this conscherns regional initiatiats of the eu states and the EASTERN Partnership Countries that have a Common Border.
Conclusion
At Present, the Weakness of the ENP in the Positive Transformation of Partner Countries Reflects of the Weakness of the EU as A Uniform Organism that Makes Necessary Decisions. The International Eu Integration Processes do not to calculates from the Societies from the best. Against this background, the abscess of the Political Will and Common Coordinated Foreign Policy Made IT Possible to Create An Area of Instability Arund The Eus Borders. In order to reverse the besteses, the Eastern Partnership Region Should Become Priority for the EU; There Must Be A Strategic Vision to Develop Relations Supplemented at the Operational Level With A Mix of the Security Policy, The ENP, and Access to A Number of The Euz. In their Turn, The Partner Countries of TheMSELVES SHOULD Advance Security and Defense Initiatiatiats that, Inter Alia, Can Go Beyond the Framework of Their Cooperation with The Eu and Forn the SCEA and FORM. The Eastern Partnership Region.
About the Author: Hennadiy Maksak is An Expert of the Steering Committee of the EAP CSF UKRAINIAN National PLATFORM (Ukraine) and Coordinator of the “Ukrainian Prism” Network of Foreign Policy Experts. In 2012-2014 he served as a member of the EAP CSF Steering Committe.
