The EU-Russia Geopolitical Contradictions and Participation of the Post-Soviet States in Regional Economic Integration

Starting from the late 2000s, the Post-Soviet states have faced the so-called integration dilemma. Seeking to deepen their trade relations and economic links with the regional centers of force - the European Union and Russia - they found themselves increasingly compelled to choose between two integr...

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Main Authors: A. S. Skriba, A. O. Altukhov
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Ассоциация независимых экспертов «Центр изучения кризисного общества» (in English: Association for independent experts “Center for Crisis Society Studies”) 2019-06-01
Series:Контуры глобальных трансформаций: политика, экономика, право
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.ogt-journal.com/jour/article/view/439
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author A. S. Skriba
A. O. Altukhov
author_facet A. S. Skriba
A. O. Altukhov
author_sort A. S. Skriba
collection DOAJ
description Starting from the late 2000s, the Post-Soviet states have faced the so-called integration dilemma. Seeking to deepen their trade relations and economic links with the regional centers of force - the European Union and Russia - they found themselves increasingly compelled to choose between two integration projects: either joining the EU Association Agreement and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area or developing relations with Russia and several other interested members of the CIS under the auspices of the Customs Union and Single Economic Space (Eurasian Economic Union since 2015).This paper purports to demonstrate that, although both tracks were declared to be economic by nature and were not publicly opposing each other, it was geopolitical reasoning that has dominated the deliberations of the five Eastern European members of the CIS in assessing and choosing between the two. The paper contrasts these countries’ political strategies and approaches to the integration dilemma and examines the internal and external factors behind these approaches. We explain why, despite the apparent similarity of the economies and interests of some of the states in question, their political strategies have diverged considerably under changing geopolitical circumstances. Finally, the paper evaluates the prospects of further engagement of Eastern European CIS countries in the integration projects.
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publisher Ассоциация независимых экспертов «Центр изучения кризисного общества» (in English: Association for independent experts “Center for Crisis Society Studies”)
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spelling doaj.art-f5ab9b7801c84032a57bfff0479039682023-10-29T15:55:27ZengАссоциация независимых экспертов «Центр изучения кризисного общества» (in English: Association for independent experts “Center for Crisis Society Studies”)Контуры глобальных трансформаций: политика, экономика, право2542-02402587-93242019-06-01122517010.23932/2542-0240-2019-12-2-51-70378The EU-Russia Geopolitical Contradictions and Participation of the Post-Soviet States in Regional Economic IntegrationA. S. Skriba0A. O. Altukhov1National Research University Higher School of EconomicsNational Research University Higher School of EconomicsStarting from the late 2000s, the Post-Soviet states have faced the so-called integration dilemma. Seeking to deepen their trade relations and economic links with the regional centers of force - the European Union and Russia - they found themselves increasingly compelled to choose between two integration projects: either joining the EU Association Agreement and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area or developing relations with Russia and several other interested members of the CIS under the auspices of the Customs Union and Single Economic Space (Eurasian Economic Union since 2015).This paper purports to demonstrate that, although both tracks were declared to be economic by nature and were not publicly opposing each other, it was geopolitical reasoning that has dominated the deliberations of the five Eastern European members of the CIS in assessing and choosing between the two. The paper contrasts these countries’ political strategies and approaches to the integration dilemma and examines the internal and external factors behind these approaches. We explain why, despite the apparent similarity of the economies and interests of some of the states in question, their political strategies have diverged considerably under changing geopolitical circumstances. Finally, the paper evaluates the prospects of further engagement of Eastern European CIS countries in the integration projects.https://www.ogt-journal.com/jour/article/view/439eeueueu-russia relationsintegrationcisforeign policydiplomacy
spellingShingle A. S. Skriba
A. O. Altukhov
The EU-Russia Geopolitical Contradictions and Participation of the Post-Soviet States in Regional Economic Integration
Контуры глобальных трансформаций: политика, экономика, право
eeu
eu
eu-russia relations
integration
cis
foreign policy
diplomacy
title The EU-Russia Geopolitical Contradictions and Participation of the Post-Soviet States in Regional Economic Integration
title_full The EU-Russia Geopolitical Contradictions and Participation of the Post-Soviet States in Regional Economic Integration
title_fullStr The EU-Russia Geopolitical Contradictions and Participation of the Post-Soviet States in Regional Economic Integration
title_full_unstemmed The EU-Russia Geopolitical Contradictions and Participation of the Post-Soviet States in Regional Economic Integration
title_short The EU-Russia Geopolitical Contradictions and Participation of the Post-Soviet States in Regional Economic Integration
title_sort eu russia geopolitical contradictions and participation of the post soviet states in regional economic integration
topic eeu
eu
eu-russia relations
integration
cis
foreign policy
diplomacy
url https://www.ogt-journal.com/jour/article/view/439
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