On March 14, 2023, the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) hosted a round table «Development of the EAEU 2022+: Strategic Objectives and Current Requirements», where the authors from the Institute for the Development of Integration Processes of the Russian Foreign Trade Academy (IDIP RFTA) presented the eponymous report.
On March 14, 2023, the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) hosted a round table «Development of the EAEU 2022+: Strategic Objectives and Current Requirements», where the authors from the Institute for the Development of Integration Processes of the Russian Foreign Trade Academy (IDIP RFTA) presented the eponymous report.
Andrey Kortunov, RIAC Academic Director, delivered welcoming remarks. He emphasized that Russia needs not only to rethink bilateral relations with key partners, but also to analyze the track record of multilateral structures, including the EAEU. While some experts support initiatives related to the development of the Eurasian economic integration, others are skeptical of them. Therefore, it is necessary to overcome both vulnerabilities of the partnership and doubts about its potential effectiveness.
The authors presented the report, focusing on the interim results of the Eurasian integration development and its economic achievements, prospects for cooperation between the EAEU and third parties, the social dimension of the organizational evolution and possible strategies for deepening relations between the member states in the new strategic environment. Andrey Tochin, Head of IDIP RFTA, Nikita Pyzhikov, Head of IDIP Centre for Economic Integration and RFTA Institute of International Economics and Finance, Ekaterina Chimiris, Head of IDIP RFTA Centre for Social and Political Research, Associate Professor at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, and Alexey Bezrukov, IRIP RFTA Researcher spoke during the main part of the event.
The presentation was followed by the elaborate discussion, collecting leading experts in the field of Eurasian integration. They commended the report as a comprehensive analysis of the past and present of the EAEU and shared their vision of how to deepen the analysis of the stated issues further.
Alexander Ageev, Professor of the Department of Comparative Politics at MGMO University, Member of RAS Scientific Council on Complex Issues of Eurasian Economic Integration, Modernization and Sustainable Development, emphasized that despite the high quality of the material presented, it does not cover economic statistics in detail, in particular negative trends, such as capital flight, economic stagnation and low volatility of national currencies. The professor also shared his recommendations on strengthening the technological sovereignty of the EAEU members.
Inna Andronova, Head of the Department of International Economic Relations at RUDN University, stressed the importance of active diplomacy, balancing costs and benefits of integration for all member states, especially in today’s international circumstances. She also noted that the EAEU cumulative position would improve only through the growth of the Russian economy, increased international contacts and boosted programs of students exchange.
Artem Pylin, Leading Research Fellow, Head of the Sector of Bilateral Ties between Russia and Neighboring States at RAS Institute of Economics, put an emphasis on Western sanctions and the way secondary sanctions affect trade-economic partnership in the EAEU. From his perspective, it is industrial cooperation that can be an instrument to strengthen interaction, to find new spheres for partnership and to step up import substitution within the Union.
Nikolay Kaveshnikov, Head of the Department of Integration Processes at MGIMO University, paid attention to the fact that the current geopolitical crisis might not have a positive effect on deepening integration and developing new integration initiatives. Further progress depends on common markets, depth of engagement among the members in the Union, recognition of its benefits, and effective leadership. In the today’s environment the EAEU should focus on redirecting logistics to bolster Russian exports and to promote parallel imports in Russia to meet the interests of all Union states.
Anna Tsybulina, Associate Professor at the Department of Integration Processes at MGIMO University, pointed out that not only ad hoc problem solving, but also strategic considerations are of great importance for the EAEU. It is essential to define objectives and find resources to achieve them in the midterm. She also added that the EAEU should place a strategic emphasis on trade agreements with third countries within the Big Eurasian Partnership, developing internal industrial cooperation, as well as finding the way how to reconcile these two directions.
Julia Melnikova, RIAC Program Manager, moderated the round table.
