No. 165: Russia, Central Asia and the Eurasian Economic Union

Author(s): Marlene Laruelle, Sebastien Peyrouse, Saodat Olimova, Nate Schenkkan
Editor(s): Stephen Aris, Matthias Neumann, Robert Orttung, Jeronim Perovic, Heiko Pleines, Hans-Henning Schröder, Aglaya Snetkov
Series: Russian Analytical Digest (RAD)
Issue: 165
Publisher(s): Center for Security Studies (CSS), ETH Zurich; Research Centre for East European Studies, University of Bremen; Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies, George Washington University
Publication Year: 2015

This edition is co-produced with the Central Asia Program at George Washington University. It considers how the Ukraine crisis and the Russian economic slowdown are impacting the Central Asian Republics, and their perspective on Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union. Firstly, Nate Schenkkan analyses how the 2014 Russian economic crisis caused by Western sanctions and the drop in the global oil price has transformed into a regional economic crisis in Central Asia. Secondly, Marlene Laruelle examines Kazakhstan's pragmatic approach towards the Eurasian Union project, and how this fluctuates between a façade of serenity and reinforcing its national sovereignty. Thirdly, Sebastien Peyrouse assesses the debate within Kyrgyzstan about its imminent membership of the Eurasian Economic Union, asking whether it is a marriage of convenience. Fourthly, Saodat Olimova surveys the current debate within Tajikistan about the pros and the cons of potentially joining the Eurasian Economic Union, noting that there is no clear consensus as yet. In addition, we have a variety of statistics and graphics comparing the region's economies, and survey data on public perceptions on the Eurasian Economic Union.

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