... since the Russia-EU honeymoon the global center of economic and technological development has shifted further from the Atlantic to the Pacific region, thus opening to Moscow – at least, in theory – attractive alternative integration options.
The Russian concept of Greater Europe has always been different. Moscow approaches the European future as a joint venture between the EU and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). In this joint venture, each of the shareholders has the same rights and the previous positive EU–Russia experience (such as sector and visa dialogues, trans-border cooperation, humanitarian contacts, etc.) is carefully preserved and developed ...
... system.
Andrey Kortunov:
Hybrid Cooperation: A New Model for Russia-EU Relations
One can imagine a stronger European Union and a reformed Russia (together with other members of the Eurasian Economic Union) constituting two interdependent pillars of Greater Europe. These two entities continues to be asymmetrical in many ways for a long time, but any visible progress in structural economic reforms in Russia is likely to make these asymmetries less significant and less disturbing for EU. Moscow states its fundamental interest in a stronger EU, Brussels recognizes EAEU as a strategic partner. In the end of the day, relations between EU and EAEU become similar to that between EU and ASEAN. However, given the geographical proximity, cultural closeness and common history, EU and EAEU together go beyond cooperation ...
