The Eastern Partnership is an initiative of the EU governing its relations and discussions with the post-Soviet states of Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Belarus. Initiated and worked out by Poland and Sweden, the project was first presented in 2008.
"The idea that a good Eastern policy can only be carried out via the European Union is a myth," the minister was quoted as saying by Radio Poland.
He added that the partnership with the EU only creates illusions for Eastern European nations like Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Georgia and Azerbaijan, with no perspectives for them to join the bloc as full-fledged members.
"The policy embraced by the previous government [led by the Civic Platform party] ended with a catastrophe as euro maidan in Ukraine put it into question," Waszczykowski pointed out.
The Eastern Partnership does not provide for possible EU membership for the involved countries. Last year, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine signed association agreements with Brussels which have been ratified by the majority of its country members. At the same time, Armenia and Belarus are participants to the Eurasian Economic Union, an international bloc which also comprises Russia.
