On the issue of relations between the EU and east Europe countries

Straipsnyje siekiama apžvelgti ir įvertinti ES santykių su Rytų kaimynėmis būklę ir raidos perspektyvas. Problema nagrinėjama „platesnės Europos“ tema vykusių diskusijų kontekste. Dabar vyraujantis ES ir Rytų Europos šalių santykių modelis apibūdinamas „cirkuliarinio diskurso“ bei „cirkuliarinės sąveikos“ sąvokomis. Atskleidžiamos šio modelio įsitvirtinimo teorinės ir geopolitinės bei istorinės prielaidos, funkcionavimo logika ir tikėtini įgyvendinimo padariniai Lietuvai ir kitoms naujosioms ES šalims.The aim of this article is to review and evaluate the condition and the development perspectives of the relations between the EU and it’s Eastern neighbours. After the end of the Cold War there have almost disappeared the distinctive value signposts of the dividing line between the West (EU) and the countries of East Europe. International policy on a broader scale has become unpredictable, or it has fallen into the state of "global turmoil". The current state of relations between EU and countries of East Europe is analysed using the "circular discourse" and "circular interaction" concepts. The essence of this interaction is the creation of a strong negative interdependence where both interacting sides lack clearly defined long-term geo/political goals. The interaction of this kind is based on conflict-concealment strategy consisting of two components – intimidation and enticement. It seems that the above-mentioned strategy aims to conceal the substantial differences in the value orientation and interests of both sides, and to maintain the semblance of positive development in their relations. Actually such a strategy fails to eliminate the fundamental ambiguities of the relationship on both sides and is likely to give rise to a number of unexpected consequences fostering the recent "global turmoil" state in the field of international affairs. There are three possible development models in the relationship between the EU and East Europe: a) continuance of the "circular interaction"; b) "neighbourhood"; c) "integration". Nevertheless, the EU leadership shows no political will to give up the currently dominant model of "circular interaction". Its further implementation might imply that the relations between the EU and East Europe countries would be developed without clearly defined long-term geo/political vision and based exclusively on instantaneous pragmatic benefit. Such "pragmatic" strategy might be helpful to maintaining the semblance of "stability" in Europe, but its short-term and elusive goals may be reached only at the cost of sacrificing the vital interests of the new EU member state