The Problems and Prospects of Eurasian Integration

Gushchin A.V.

Abstract

Almost 30 years have passed since the collapse of the USSR. What for many researchers at the turn of the 80's–90's seemed to be the «end of history», obviously, was not the end, but the beginning of a new stage in world history, with the development of one of the most important regions the future of which in many ways defines the architecture of global political and socio-economic processes – post-Soviet Eurasia. Today, in what we often call the post-Soviet space, there are multidirectional trends. At the same time, we observe both disintegration vectors and integration impulses. Extra-regional actors are becoming more active, offering their own socio-economic and political models to compete with Russia, which faces an obvious challenge of forming its own Eurasian integration paradigm. In this context, the success of the Eurasian integration process depends not only on the future of the region itself, but also on the development of Russia as a key element of the Eurasian space. The article analyzes the overall results, problems and prospects of the Eurasian integration processes. The author, describing the problems of Eurasian integration and the Eurasian Economic Union, argues that integration should encompass not only trade but also industrial spheres, with priority being placed on import substitution, development of high-tech sectors, and enhancement of socio-cultural processes, all of which, under conditions of new bipolarity, could become, for Russia and its neighbours, a viable alternative of development based on the principles of industrial diversity, the growth of internal investments, high-technology production development and intraregional value chains.

Keywords

Eurasia; the Eurasian Economic Union; integration; post-Soviet states; industry.

DOI: 10.31249/rsm/2020.04.06

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