The policy paper was produced within the framework of the re-granting project “Security Alert on the EU’s Doorstep” by Caucasus Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development (Georgia), in partnership with the Foreign Policy Association (Moldova) and the NGO Promotion of Intercultural Cooperation (Ukraine). The aim of the project is to raise awareness about the EaP security challenges and to develop a comprehensive vision for the region.
In the context of the new EU Global Strategy and the upcoming NATO Warsaw Summit on 8-9 July, the study explores security challenges facing NATO, the EU, the EaP states as well as the need for balancing act between deterrence and engagement with Russia and, in particular, close cooperation between NATO and the EaP countries.
The paper enumerates several recommendations for improving security in the EaP region addressed to the relevant actors:
EaP governments:
- Focusing on fighting corruption and implementing security sector reforms
- Engaging with representatives of communities in conflict zones in order to foster mutual dialogue and trust
EaP civil society:
- Building expertise on security sector and participating as an expert partner in the Easter Partnership Platform on Common Security and Defense Policy
EU:
- Issuing a declaration at the Warsaw Summit declaring its commitment to support the strengthening of the Eastern NATO Flank
- Cooperating with NATO in maritime security, supporting partners in training and capacity building, security sector reform, joint exercises and the establishment of “Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats”
NATO:
- Elaborating a roadmap for further cooperation for the three AA countries with the membership perspective at the end
- Focusing on its Eastern flank and drafting plans for closer co-operation with the EaP countries in order to better understand imminent threats
- Bringing the EaP countries into the strategic dialogue around deterrence strategy
- Launching a special focus on security in the Black Sea basin
