Foreign

Home page

Foreign

Stratfor: â€œRussia lays the groundwork for the eventual formation of the Eurasian Union which it is hoping to start around 2015â€

17 January 2012 10:28 (UTC +04:00)

American analytics suppose that Russia will build upon its Customs Union with Belarus and Kazakhstan as it evolves into the Common Economic Space (CES). â€œThis larger institution will allow the scope of Russia’s influence over Minsk and Astana, as well as new member countries such as Kyrgyzstan and possibly Tajikistan, to expand from the economic sphere into politics and security as Moscow lays the groundwork for the eventual formation of the Eurasian Union, which it is hoping to start around 2015â€, said the Stratfor analysts.

â€œAs Ukraine’s chances to grow closer to the European Union decrease, Kiev will realize that Moscow is the only outside power it can turn to. Russia will be able to take advantage of Ukraine’s inability to maneuver and will gain access to strategic Ukrainian assets, possibly including minority control in its natural gas transit system. However, Ukraine will continue to resist the institutionalization of Russia’s influence via the CES by maintaining a degree of cooperation with the Westâ€.