"The EaP has never been related to whom the next member state will be," Ratas said upon his arrival at the EU's Eastern Partnership summit, responding to ERR's question whether Estonia supports Ukraine becoming a member of the EU someday.

"Estonia's position has been that if the criteria are fulfilled and the country is ready, we are prepareed to welcome enlargement," Ratas told Estonian reporters. "This matter is not directly on the table today."

The Estonian prime minister expressed hope that the EU's 28 member states and six partner states — Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia and Moldova — will manage to strike a balance and reach a consensus at this year's summit.

"Balance and consensus are always a virtue in the EU," Ratas said. "I hope that there will be more consensus today than two years ago [at the summit] in Riga."