The project is ambitious: to bring together the EU countries, those who hope to one day join it, those who have left (UK) and those who want to strengthen their trade relations with Brussels. Some say the idea, supported by French President Emmanuel Macron, is above all a way to give Ukraine and Moldova (as well as other states on the accession waiting list like Albania) some chance and lessen their calls for participation. EU bloc in a short time. For others, the European Political Community (EPC) project, the name given to the new organization meeting for the second time in the Moldovan village of Bulboaca, is instead a way for Brussels to send a message of unity. Vladimir’s Putin of Russia, but also the rest of the world. Especially their targets for China and the Balkans.
Yes, because the war in Ukraine showed, among other things, that Europe today has to deal with emerging geopolitical poles, as demonstrated at the last summit of the BRICS leaders in South Africa. And in this increasingly multipolar world, facing the risk of losing influence (for example, by handing over Africa to China), it is necessary to unite by looking at its immediate surroundings. Currently, there are 47 countries in the CPE, including Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Serbia, which continue to maintain ties with the former homeland of Russia. Taking exactly what happened in Moldova as an example, the purpose of breaking these ties is clear.
Chisinau is looking for a third, war-free way to approach the EU. It is no coincidence that the summit was held in a village of 300,000 in the eastern part of the country, near the pro-Russian separatist Transnistria region. “The presence of all these leaders in our country sends a clear message: Moldova is not alone,” President Maia Sandu said on Wednesday. “Moldova’s place is in the European Union,” he insisted. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky came to him during these hours and said, “We support Moldova, we are very happy to go to the EU together and I thank the Moldovans for hosting our refugees. The important thing is that our future is in the EU.” “, said the leader of Kyiv.
The pressures of the two countries are on the same level as those of Albania and North Macedonia, which have one foot already in the EU for a while, but whose definitive entry has been largely blocked by Macron himself. Therefore, beyond the usual statements, including those of the various leaders of the bloc, there is the impression that the future of these states may be more in the EPC than in the EU. Provided that the project, which currently depends on the UK, Norway and Switzerland, passes.
A sign for a possible success of the new European Community would be to propose itself as a forum for resolving regional tensions: it is no accident that the current Moldovan summit includes negotiations with Serbia on tensions with Kosovo, where violence has erupted. last weekend between police and Serbian protesters. Macron is planning a meeting between the president of Kosovo and the president of Serbia with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The Franco-German duo is also expected to meet with the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, with the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, who have been fighting each other for control of the Nagorno-Karabakh region for decades. Negotiations between the two former Soviet republics have intensified and appear to have made progress in recent weeks.
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
