What else could we have done? Ukraine after Vilnius

This Commentary feature looks back to the Third Eastern Partnership Summit, Vilnius, 28-29 November 2013 and, in particular, to the shock decision by the then Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych to refuse to sign the Association Agreement with the EU.

This, in turn, caused protests in Ukraine and a year of civil unrest / war, and the loss of part of Ukrainian territory to Russia.

What could the EU have done differently? For the future of the EU’s Eastern policies, it is extremely important that the lessons of the Vilnius Summit, its run-up, and its aftermath, are properly understood and internalised.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Third Eastern Partnership Summit, Vilnius, 28-29 November 2013 http://www.europeansources.info/record/third-eastern-partnership-summit-vilnius-28-29-november-2013/

ESO: Key Source: Euromaidan - Protests in Ukraine 2013 - 2015 - Key source http://www.europeansources.info/record/euromaidan-protests-in-ukraine-2013-2015/

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