EU criticises Russian pressure against Eastern Partnership members

EU Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Fuele has hit out at Russia for trying to block closer cooperation between the EU and members of its Eastern Partnership, which include Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. \"The Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius is fast approaching. It promises to mark a momentous step forward in our political association and economic integration with several of our eastern European neighbours,\" he told the European Parliament in a speech Wednesday night. The third Eastern Partnership summit is to take place in Vilnius, Lithuania which holds the current EU Presidency, on November 28 and 29. \"Let me be clear, the development of the Eurasian Economic Union project must respect our partners\' sovereign decisions. Any threats from Russia linked to the possible signing of agreements with the European Union are unacceptable. This applies to all forms of pressure,\" stressed Fulle. The EU rebuke comes after Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan in a recent visit to Moscow declared that he wants to join a trade and political union with Russia instead of the EU. Russia has also threatened Moldova and Ukraine, two other former Soviet states which are seeking closer ties and cooperation with Brussels. Russian has banned the import of Moldovan agricultural products and has warned that if it signs any agreements with the EU at the Vilnius summit that it would cut its trade relations with the tiny former Soviet republic. \"This is not how international relations should function on our continent in the 21st century. Such actions clearly breach the principles to which all European states have subscribed,\" said Fulle