Seized and Missed Opportunities in Vilnius, Winter 2014

This article examines the significance, outcomes, and implications of the third Eastern Partnership summit of the EU, which was held on 28-29 November 2013 in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius. Despite the significant progress in the partnerships of Moldova and Georgia, the negative responses of Ukraine and Armenia to the possibility of adopting Association Agreements with the EU, and the lack of interest of Azerbaijan and Belarus in adopting a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA) with the EU dashed the hopes for a successful summit. In explaining this failure, this article concludes that the culprit is mainly Russia’s systematic use of manipulative tactics that exploit the vulnerabilities of EaP countries.