EU takes on Russia: Europe's Eastern Partnership Explained - TLDR News

The EU's Eastern Partnership is a collection of 6 countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus*, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine) and is an attempt from the EU to bolster support within the region and also (allegedly) protect them from the influences of Russia. So in this video, we're going to explain how the partnership works, what it means for the countries involved, and whether it's really successful.

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[TLDRnewsEU]

A few people are commenting on the animation decisions re: Ukraine and Crimea. The decision to leave Crimea out of the map was an attempt to avoid politicizing the issue in a video that nominally isn't about that border. However, doing so isn't us saying that Crimea doesn't belong to Ukraine or does belong to Russia. In fact, as you can see in the thumbnail we've marked it as Ukrainian territory when compared to Russia - Jack

[samueltrusik]

The EU is doing a lot of good work, but it needs to be able to tell people about it. In my country, all buses have a small sign on top, telling people that the have been bought with support from the EU. The EU needs to do stuff like that more often.

[ibadbayramov]

As someone who has done his thesis on the EaP (Eastern Partnership), I don’t think the partnership is a failure. In terms of economical integration, it has been great success as these countries have now very deep ties with the EU when it comes to exports and imports. DCFTA agreement (Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area) have been very substantial for Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine as they are now able to export their goods for reduced rates.
However, the political integration has been quite weak and slow. EU has not really tried hard enough to affect these countries’ political views and therefore not much have changed since the first agreement of 2009. Belarus is in dead end and looks like it is the end of the tunnel for them. Azerbaijan and Armenia on the other hand, can’t join DCFTA as they still struggle with high level of corruption and Russia still have much influence in their political decisions.
To conclude, the agreement is not a failure. I don’t think any of these countries could join EU anytime soon. Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine have come a long way and looks like great allies for the EU. That being said, The EU have to try hard on both Azerbaijan and Armenia to pressure them to change their political strategies otherwise they might not be able persuade these countries just like they did with Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. Unfortunately, not much of progress has been made in last 6 years.

[kobalachashvili]

Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova - desire to join the EU and have signed association agreements; Belarus, Azerbaijan, Armenia - no such desire and not willing to sign the association agreement. Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova have formed the Associated Trio and EU must separate those 3 countries and offer more integration programmes and more benefits with the overarching goal of Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova joining the Union.

[rikstan]

Probably should have made Crimea with a dotted line and filled in with diagonal stripes to signify that it's still... complicated...

[johanneskarlsson]

I believe that the criticism from Russia that the EU is acting in Russia's backyard is the biggest reason to continue and the greatest advantage of the Eastern Partnership.

[MrInstict]

The E.U. has to balance a lot of things in order to keep everyone happy. I think it is refreshing to hear things are being done in a positive direction even if slowly. In the end EU's bureaucracy although frustrating at times it does bring results

[Jokkkkke]

I would love to see a video on the Southern Partnership! (Arguably an even less well known aspect of EU external policy)

[sarinpoladian]

Actually here in Armenia we do know about this (not the majority of people of course but those who follow news know it very well) it's been covered by CIVIL NEWS here in Armenia they have a youtube channel as well, also I've been living in Yerevan for 4 years now and visited before since 2009. There is an EU and Armenia partnership festival saying "stronger together" that takes place every year around the Opera in summer. We also know how many businesses opened by the assistance on EU programs as you stated in 2020-2021. We are not against EU collaboration we are delighted but political ties to Russia make it very complicated since we are dependent. How I see this is helping countries like mine learn how to innovate and takes steps to be become more independent but how that is applied and translated throughout the coming years no one can tell.

[MuffinHop]

Having good partnership and shared projects between our neighbours is a really good idea. If we didn't it would look like we don't care about these countries and don't want to make business with them. Russia doesn't like it because it doesn't make EU look like the bad guy Russia wants EU to be.

[Steve_Gouws]

And they say the EU does nothing. This is a really good programme.

[Passonator]

I did hear about the eastern partnership, it is a great success story.
I agree that it is too vague from the outsider's perspective, but its goal is to be a geopolitical tool and counterweight against russia's unappealing whip style diplomacy.
By showing the people of eastern partners that things can be done differently, and they yield better results, we are ultimately undermining the Russian image and their soft power in the region.

Go EU!

[FATHOLLYWOODB]

Ukraine plans for formally apply for EU membership in 2023, to join in the 2030s. But I'd say NATO membership is more important for them, and there survival.

[filiushermesio]

You forgot to mention "associated Trio". In 2021 Summer, in Georgia, associated countries (Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova) and the EU signed the new agreement that`s making the aforementioned 3 states closer to the EU in the integration process.

Furthermore, it would be great to discuss all of those 3 countries' integration processes in the EU. For example:
1) Georgia is one of the most successful at implementing reforms.



2) With the Global Corruption Index 2021, Georgia ranks 41st, following 50th place last year, among 196 countries, and ahead of 9 EU and NATO member states.



3) Georgia is ranked 7 among 190 economies in the ease of doing business, according to the latest World Bank annual ratings.



4) Georgia ranked 4th in the world in terms of safety behind only Qatar, Taiwan, and the UAE. (4th safest country worldwide, safest in Europe).



5) With "The Good Country Index" Georgia ranks 1st in terms of global contribution of international peace and security (which includes the following criteria: 1)Peacekeeping troops; 2)Dues in arrears to UN peacekeeping budgets as % of the contribution; 3)International violent conflict
; 4)Arms exports; 5)Internet security.)




6) With the Index (The Good Country Index) Georgia ranks 1st in terms of the global contribution of prosperity and equality. (which includes the following criteria: 1)Open trading; 2)UN volunteers abroad; 3) Remittance cost; 4)FDI outflows; 5)Development assistance.)



7) Based on the survey, done by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) shows that 82% of Georgians approve of joining the EU.

[gamerr]

Heard of eastern partnership before since im from Ukraine, don't really think its a failure but I'm not sure if it has its goals to achieve, Ukraine and eastern Europe as a whole are just so backwards that its gonna take alot of time and hard work for any of the countries to join the EU proper

[MalloonTarka]

Considering the aims of the partnership, if all that happens is the lives of the people in those countries becomes better (and they become less dependant on Russia because of that), I'm all for it.

[simonstockwell]

I like this channel but there's so many errors creeping into videos which just make them annoying to watch, especially simple stuff when the graphic says 2008 but the narrator says 2018

[augustus]

I sometimes wonder how the European peninsula would be like if Russia actually joined the EU, instead of threatening war once every six-seven months.

[camillem]

Speaking of controversy, why is Crimes not marked as being part of Ukraine?

[bramvandenheuvel]

I have Ukrainian friends, so yes, I knew about it.
I think Russia's "critique" is funny, at least the way you phrased it, for it isn't really a criticism. It just describes what it is, though I'm sure that in Russian it sounds more nefarious.