Lords investigating Russia-EU relations ask: should EU put eastwards expansion on hold?

The House of Lords EU Sub-Committee on External Affairs will this week hear from a renowned expert on Russian foreign policy, as well as the recently appointed Georgian Ambassador to the UK.

They will be quizzed on the implications of continued EU enlargement on the stability of the region, Russian plans for the Eurasion Union, and whether the EU has done enough to secure cooperation with Russia.

The evidence session is part of a Lords inquiry into the relationship between the EU and Russia, which is expected to report in early 2015.

At 10.05am the Committee will take oral evidence from Mr Fyodor Lukyanov, Chairman of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy and Editor-in-Chief of Russia in Global Affairs.

Then at 11.05am the Committee will take oral evidence from Professor Revaz Gachechiladze, Georgian Ambassador to the UK.

Questions the Committee may ask include:

• Why has Russia responded differently to the EU trade agreement with Georgia compared to that with Ukraine?
• What are the objectives of the Eurasian Economic Union and what should be the relationship between the European Union and the Eurasian Union?
• Has the EU relationship with Ukraine dented Russia's aspirations of a strong Eurasion Union?
• How and why is the European Neighbourhood Policy a concern for Moscow?
• Has the EU failed to engage Russia in meaningful cooperation and on what basis should the relationship be conducted in the future?
• What can the EU do to cool tensions in the region?
  

The evidence sessions will start at 10.05am on Thursday 30 October in Committee Room 1 of the House of Lords.

The session will be webcast at www.parliamentlive.tv and is also open to the public. Journalists wishing to attend should go to Parliament's Cromwell Green Entrance and should allow time for security screening.