The Eastern Partnership is the European Union’s main policy instrument to advance closer political association and economic integration in our Eastern neighbourhood, head of European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso said in a statement ahead of the Vilnius summit.

“Our objective is to work together with our partners in the region to build - step by step - a democratic, prosperous and stable neighbourhood based on the rule of law,” he said. “A stable neighbourhood where the risk of open conflict is disappearing and migration pressures are reduced as people feel less forced to seek a better life outside their own countries.”

As to the deals reached in Vilnius, Barroso said the summit is set to achieve substantial progress for Georgia and Moldova with which we recently concluded the negotiations and will be able to initial our agreements.

The statement suggests that EU’s offer of signing Association Agreement with Ukraine at Vilnius is still on the table.

“This requires the necessary political will by the Ukrainian leadership, determined action and tangible progress on the conditions set out in December 2012,” he said.

He also referred to the relations between Eastern partners and Russia, noting that sronger relations with the European Union do not come “at the expense of relations between our Eastern partners and their other neighbours, such as Russia.”

“Nobody is asking our partners to renounce their relations or free trade agreements with Russia,” the head of European Commission emphasized.