the enlarged and strengthened European Union vis-à-vis Russia

Greater Europe met in Prague (Czech Republic), Thursday 6 October. At this gathering, 44 countries are present: the countries of the European Union, those who want to join and the trading partners, the United Kingdom and Turkey. Countries in tension, such as Bosnia, Armenia and Azerbaijan are also invited. This message of unity is for Vladimir Putin. “It must be done without Russia (…) because Putin’s Russia has excluded itself from the European family“, explained Josep Borrel, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs.

This new space should make it possible to strengthen strategic partnerships, on energy with Norway and Azerbaijan, but also on security and immigration with the United Kingdom and Turkey. The candidate countries for the EU are also attached to this community, without waiting for their accession. However, relations between the Union and certain countries, such as the United Kingdom and Turkey, remain tense.