Russia's "contribution" to the inception of the Eastern partnership

Abstract

The present paper analyses Russia's relations with six former Soviet republics (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine), since the fall of the USSR until the launch of the Eastern Partnership (EaP). By using qualitative research methods: discourse analysis, document analysis and press coverage, the author focuses on three main factors that contributed to the alienation of these countries from Russia: "energodiplomacy", trade wars and support of secessionist conflicts, arguing that the rapprochement of this countries with the West, especially with the EU, came not only from the economic reasons but from the need of preserving the state core values.