By Marco Galdi

(ANSA) - RIGA - The EU confirms the strategy for the ''Eastern Partnership'', including the countries of the former USSR, but 18 months after the Vilnius summit, that sparked the Maidan square protest and caused a return to the cold war in Europe, changing the tone of communication with Russia.

Anyway, Europe ''has to work'' with Moscow on the negotiations over Iran's nuclear programme and over the UN Security Council resolution calling on states to take part in the anti-smuggling mission in the Mediterranean Sea. At the fourth Eastern Partnership summit, starting this evening with a dinner in Riga - on the sidelines an informal meeting on the Greek debt restructuring is supposed to take place - thus there are some encouraging signs for Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, but also messages indicating not only an opening but also firmness towards Moscow.

Even the representatives of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Belarus (although Aliyev and Lukashenko send their foreign ministers) sit at the table. Thus, the Commission announced a ten-year and 2 billion euro investment plan for SMEs in the three partner countries, making available financial guarantees worth 200 million euros thanks to a leverage through the EIB and EBRD.

''This is meant to show that Brussels is meeting its commitments'', Jean Claude Juncker said. But visa liberalization (already granted to Moldova in April 2014, even if for holders of biometric passports only) was delayed to at least 2016 for Ukraine and Georgia. Tomorrow Brussels will pledge to pay the third installment - 1.8 billion euro - of 'macroeconomic assistance' to Kiev, (depending, as always, on the progress made with regard to the reforms agreed with the EU). The EU, however, will also hamper Ukrainian President Poroshenko's dream of joining the EU28. (ANSA).