Russia, Ukraine and the Eurasian Union

The Presidents of the Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus have signed an agreement that gives birth to the Eurasian Union. But what is the Eurasian Union and what does it mean for the EU and its relationship with Russia? Is Russia now turning away from the West in the hope of a brighter future in the Asia-Pacific region?   

Guests

Dmitri Trenin, Director,Carnegie Moscow Center

Robert Cooper, Diplomat; former Counsellor, EEAS

Chaired by

Kadri Liik, Head of the Wider Europe Programme, ECFR

The Presidents of the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan and Belarus have signed an agreement that gives birth to the Eurasian Union – a Russia-led integrationist project designed to boost economic integration of the post-Soviet space. But what is the Eurasian Union and what does it mean for the European Union and its relationship with Russia? Is Russia now turning away from the West in the hope of a brighter future in the Asia-Pacific region? Or is it all a mirage?

Dmitri Trenin has been with the Carnegie Moscow Centre since its inception. He chairs the Research Council and Foreign and Security Policy Programmeand is a Senior Associate of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Mr. Trenin is the author of several books on Russia in international affairs and a contributor to ECFR’s ‘Russia’s pivot to Eurasia.

Robert Cooper is a diplomat and a former counsellor at the European External Action Service. Before moving to Brussels in 2002, he was Special Representative for the British Government in Afghanistan. He has published a number of essays and articles on international affairs, including his book of essays: ‘The Breaking of Nations’ (Atlantic Press 2003). Robert Cooper is a member of the European Council on Foreign Relations.

Kadri Liik is the Head of the Wider Europe Programme at ECFR and editor of ECFR’s recent publication ‘Russia’s Pivot to Eurasia’.