Putin, who has lamented the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union as the "greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century," denied that his proposal represents an attempt to rebuild the Soviet empire.
But he said in an article published Tuesday in the daily Izvestia that the new alliance should emerge as "one of the poles of the modern world, serving as an efficient link between Europe and the dynamic Asia-Pacific region."
Putin, who is all but certain to reclaim the presidency in March's election, has been accused of rolling back Russia's post-Soviet democratic achievements during his two terms as president in 2000-2008. He has remained Russia's de-facto leader after shifting into the premier's job due to a term limit, and his protege and successor Dmitry Medvedev proposed last month that Putin run for president.
"There is no talk about rebuilding the USSR in one way or another," Putin said. "It would be naive to try to restore or copy something that belongs to the past, but a close integration based on new values and economic and political foundation is a demand of the present time."
Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan already have formed an economic alliance that has removed customs barriers in mutual trade during the past summer. They are to introduce unified market rules and regulations starting Jan. 1. Putin said that Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are expected to join the grouping.
"We aren't going to stop at that and are putting forward an ambitious task of reaching a new, higher level of integration with the Eurasian Union," Putin said. "Along with other key players and regional structures, such as the European Union, the United States, China and the Asia Pacific Economic Community, it should ensure stability of global development."
Russia has long called for stronger cooperation between ex-Soviet nations, but earlier attempts at forging closer ties between them have failed due to sharp economic differences. Many former Soviet nations have looked westward and remain suspicious of Moscow's intentions, setting a rocky path to Putin's "Eurasian Union."
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, considered more Russia-friendly than his pro-Western predecessor, has continued to focus on closer relations with the European Union, shattering Moscow's hopes for luring Ukraine into its orbit. Yanukovych complained last month that the Kremlin was trying to coerce Ukraine into joining the customs union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, and said that he wouldn't yield to pressure.
Even Russia's ties with its closest ally, Belarus, has been marred by tensions. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, whose government is struggling with a spiraling financial crisis, has staunchly resisted Moscow's push for controlling stake in Belarus' top state-controlled industrial assets.
Putin's plan also comes in potential competition with the Eastern Partnership, an initiative launched two years ago by Poland and Sweden, which aims to deepen European Union integration with six ex-Soviet nations: Georgia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Armenia and Azerbaijan.
"Creating a powerful integration community between the two economic superpowers of the 21st century, the EU and China is a very worthy aim, Solozobov says. Like other CIS countries, Russia now faces a major geopolitical choice, he adds, citing a possible split-up of these CIS states and their subsequent integration into Europe and China. Also on the table is the creation of a powerful geo-economic center, like the three-party Customs Union and the Common Economic Space. This will be transformed into the Eurasian Economic Community, with a political alliance due to become a natural form of integration. This is something that was used during the creation of the current European Union – a process that was fulfilled without damaging national sovereignty and economic independence of the countries. The formation of the Eurasian Economic Community will also be in line with these principles," Solozobov wraps up.
In his article, Vladimir Putin says, in particular, that “removing migration, border and other barriers for CES citizens will imply the opportunity to choose a place of residence, receive education and work without restrictions.” This will also be the case with business people of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, who will get a free hand in terms of job opportunities. “We are creating a colossal market with more than 165 million consumers, with uniform legislation and free movement of capital,” Putin goes on to say, adding that “the combination of natural resources, capital and strong human potential will enable the Eurasian Economic Community to be competitive on global industrial, technological, investment and job markets.” Putin also points out the Eurasian Economic Community’s role in providing stable global development, which is also tackled by “other key players and regional structures, such as the EU, the US, China and APEC.”
Commenting on Western analysts’ back-to-the-USSR arguments in connection with his article, Putin said that restoring or imitating the Soviet Union is out of the question. Sergei Mikheyev, of the Center of Geopolitical Technologies in Moscow, says that the Eurasian Economic Community gives a chance to return to internal markets in Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, which closely interacted in the Soviet era:
"The Soviet Union’s collapse led, among other things, to the disappearance of the internal market in the three countries with all that it implies," Mikheyev says, citing a decline in industrial production there. "In this regard, the Eurasian Economic Community’s goal is to help restore the internal market in Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan as soon as possible," he concludes.
Putin also voiced hope that the Eurasian Economic Community will contribute considerably to European integration and the enlargement of the Customs Union and the Common Economic Space, which may be joined by Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. The process will by no means spoil the interaction between the Eurasian Economic Community and the EU, Putin says, echoed by Vladimir Zharikhin, deputy head of the Institute for CIS Studies:
"Putin first of all refers to Ukraine, which has repeatedly criticized the three-party Customs Union, an organization that Putin says is the shortest way to the European choice. In this sense, his position is confirmed by the latest developments in the world economy," Zharikhin wraps up.
Vladimir Putin expressed confidence that creating the Eurasian Economic Community and tackling an effective integration is the only way for participants of the process to hold a worthy place in the complicated world of the 21st century. “Only together will our countries be able to stand among the leaders of global growth and civilized progress, as well as achieve success and prosperity,” Putin concluded.
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