European Union" "
The summit between the European Union and Russia will be held in Moscow on 29 May. The summit will essentially be dominated by three questions: the so-called “problem of Kaliningrad”, the rapprochement between the EU and Russia, and the forthcoming signing of the accord of association between NATO and Russia in Rome on 28 June. Kaliningrad is the Russian enclave bordering on the Baltic states. The imminent EU membership of Estonia, Lithuania and Poland would risk the need for the residents of Kaliningrad to obtain a special visa for their transit to Russia. Moscow proposes the establishment of special corridors without visa obligation, while the European Commission seems to be rather of the view that the citizens of Kaliningrad be granted financial and consular “facilities” for obtaining special permits. As regards bilateral relations between the EU and Russia, the programme of the summit includes a debate on the proposal to constitute a “common European economic space” between the two regions, the examination of questions of security and international policy, energy dialogue and Russia’s membership of the World Trade Organization. Lastly, of great interest, even if not formally part of the agenda, will be the question of an accord on Russian association with NATO. The European Union, which has played a fundamental role in the negotiations which will lead to the adoption of the accord, supports the collaboration between Russia and NATO also as an important prerequisite for cooperation between the EU and Russia in the field of common defence policy.
