Fighting for Eurasia

Russia and non-regional States have recently shown fresh interest in the countries of the former Soviet Union. The rivalry between Russia and the United States for the post-Soviet territory, beginning after the collapse of the USSR, has broken new ground. Russia considers the post-Soviet space as an...

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Main Author: S. S. Zhiltsov
Format: Article
Language:Russian
Published: Centre of Regional Research 2021-06-01
Series:Проблемы постсоветского пространства
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Online Access:https://www.postsovietarea.com/jour/article/view/279
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author S. S. Zhiltsov
author_facet S. S. Zhiltsov
author_sort S. S. Zhiltsov
collection DOAJ
description Russia and non-regional States have recently shown fresh interest in the countries of the former Soviet Union. The rivalry between Russia and the United States for the post-Soviet territory, beginning after the collapse of the USSR, has broken new ground. Russia considers the post-Soviet space as an area of vital interests. Economic and political relations with its neighbors, the internal political situation in the former Soviet Republics have a direct impact on the development of Russia. These determinants can explain the renewed interest in Eurasian integration and an integration project — the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). However, the USA hardly welcomes such aspirations of Russia and the support for the integration project on the part of some post-Soviet countries. The American side has no interest in the newly emerging regional centers of influence in the post-Soviet space, regarding this as a threat to its interests. Countering the development of Eurasian integration and strengthening the EAEU influence is the focus of US policy in this regard. The EAEU member countries are consistently taking steps to develop integration despite obstacles from the West. The long-term objectives, defined in various documents by the countries, should put them on a new path of economic cooperation. Eurasian integration faces a number of difficulties along with the successes, achieved since the creation of the EAEU. The world economy problems, in addition to internal ones, exert a considerable influence. They intensified after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, which negatively affected the development of the EAEU countries. The internal political problems faced by the EAEU countries adversely affect integration. The internal political crisis in Belarus, beginning in the later 2020, the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh, worsened internal political struggle in Armenia and Kyrgyzstan are the factors that influenced the work of the EAEU last year and early 2021. Nevertheless, economic difficulties and political events in specific countries, the pursuit of non-regional states to influence the elites of the former Soviet states have not altered the foreign policy priorities of the EAEU member states.
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spelling doaj-art-88e90926d00346628dd57607d4b365ac2025-08-20T03:57:23ZrusCentre of Regional ResearchПроблемы постсоветского пространства2313-89202587-81742021-06-018181910.24975/2313-8920-2021-8-1-8-19257Fighting for EurasiaS. S. Zhiltsov0Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Foreign Ministry; People’s Friendship University of RussiaRussia and non-regional States have recently shown fresh interest in the countries of the former Soviet Union. The rivalry between Russia and the United States for the post-Soviet territory, beginning after the collapse of the USSR, has broken new ground. Russia considers the post-Soviet space as an area of vital interests. Economic and political relations with its neighbors, the internal political situation in the former Soviet Republics have a direct impact on the development of Russia. These determinants can explain the renewed interest in Eurasian integration and an integration project — the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). However, the USA hardly welcomes such aspirations of Russia and the support for the integration project on the part of some post-Soviet countries. The American side has no interest in the newly emerging regional centers of influence in the post-Soviet space, regarding this as a threat to its interests. Countering the development of Eurasian integration and strengthening the EAEU influence is the focus of US policy in this regard. The EAEU member countries are consistently taking steps to develop integration despite obstacles from the West. The long-term objectives, defined in various documents by the countries, should put them on a new path of economic cooperation. Eurasian integration faces a number of difficulties along with the successes, achieved since the creation of the EAEU. The world economy problems, in addition to internal ones, exert a considerable influence. They intensified after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, which negatively affected the development of the EAEU countries. The internal political problems faced by the EAEU countries adversely affect integration. The internal political crisis in Belarus, beginning in the later 2020, the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh, worsened internal political struggle in Armenia and Kyrgyzstan are the factors that influenced the work of the EAEU last year and early 2021. Nevertheless, economic difficulties and political events in specific countries, the pursuit of non-regional states to influence the elites of the former Soviet states have not altered the foreign policy priorities of the EAEU member states.https://www.postsovietarea.com/jour/article/view/279eurasian economic unioneurasian integrationrussiabelaruskazakhstankyrgyzstanarmeniausa
spellingShingle S. S. Zhiltsov
Fighting for Eurasia
Проблемы постсоветского пространства
eurasian economic union
eurasian integration
russia
belarus
kazakhstan
kyrgyzstan
armenia
usa
title Fighting for Eurasia
title_full Fighting for Eurasia
title_fullStr Fighting for Eurasia
title_full_unstemmed Fighting for Eurasia
title_short Fighting for Eurasia
title_sort fighting for eurasia
topic eurasian economic union
eurasian integration
russia
belarus
kazakhstan
kyrgyzstan
armenia
usa
url https://www.postsovietarea.com/jour/article/view/279
work_keys_str_mv AT sszhiltsov fightingforeurasia