Participants are more likely to encounter the most successful innovations when two countries work together on issues of interest to both sides. The basic structure of East-East aid and interaction remains the same as it has for hundreds of years. The opportunity structure for such exchange and information has shifted since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Demand for such assistance is high in the eastern-most countries, including Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus, while the enthusiasm of the more prosperous Central European countries is noticeably lower. This changed structure is largely the result of Central Europe's increasing association with the West, a shift of emphasis that is cleaving the region's northern tier from the rest of the region.
Ties do exist between countries in Central and Eastern Europe.
The most extensive are between Poland and Ukraine, which have built a thick web of political, economic, and diplomatic links between them. Poland has pledged its support for Ukraine in the international arena as well, pushing for Ukrainian membership in western institutions and Central European trade and diplomatic organizations. Other Central European countries have also professed their support for their eastern neighbors, but their involvement has been mostly rhetorical. One of the exceptions is the NATO-sponsored Partnership for Peace, in which Central and East European countries have cooperated extensively. The general lack of enthusiasm shown in Central Europe for East-East aid projects makes American aid even more vital to their success.