The Normative EU, the Hard Power Russia and the Small States Between Them: Cases of Armenia, Georgia and Moldova

The foreign policy choices of Armenia, Georgia and Moldova have been largely shaped by the power balance between the European Union and Russia. The EU’s normativity in regional integration was opposed by Russia’s hard power approach. Although the potential benefits of the integration drove Armenia, Georgia and Moldova to sign a framework agreement with the EU, the latter’s inability to pro-vide security guarantees has reduced the EU’s attractiveness leaving the future of the Eastern Partnership uncertain