EU, ex-Soviet state leaders meet as Russia tensions simmer

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders have met with their counterparts from five former Soviet republics, including Ukraine, with an eye toward deepening political, trade, energy and cultural ties. The EU’s Eastern Partnership includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. The president of Belarus is boycotting Wednesday’s meeting due to EU sanctions over reported fraud in his reelection last year and a security crackdown on antigovernment protesters. The partnership was established in 2008 and aims to improve relations among the ex-Soviet countries as well as with the 27-nation EU. The EU is likely to offer the Eastern countries a 2.3-billion-euro ($2.6 billion) economic and investment plan, which the bloc hopes will attract public and private investments.