Wary EU hosts hopeful ex-Soviets, under Russian glare

By Alastair Macdonald and Adrian Croft RIGA (Reuters) - European Union leaders began a tense summit in Latvia on Thursday with ex-Soviet neighbors that was overshadowed by the continuing confrontation with Russia triggered by the last such event 18 months ago. Disagreement over the conflict in Ukraine, and over the EU's reluctance to hold out membership prospects to the six states in its "Eastern Partnership", has marked the preparations.