The partial integration of the countries of eastern Europe with the European Union is the basic aim of the Eastern Partnership (EaP). The EaP sees the participating countries negotiating Association Agreements which include provisions for the establishment of Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Areas (DCFTAs) which are designed to foster economic integration with the EU. This can in turn boost future political integration and lead in time to EU membership. Thus the fate of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU will not only determine relations between Kyiv and Brussels but also the success or failure of the entire EaP process.