Eurasian Regionalism and Russia's War Against Ukraine: Consequences for the EAEU and Kazakhstan

Abstract

The war in Ukraine is challenging the very premise of Eurasian regionalism. It is increasing countries’ concerns about their membership and about excessive dependence on Russia; it is making trade relations difficult because of Western sanctions; and it is pushing the entire region into a deep recession. At the same time, the unprecedented sanctions against Russia are also prompting Eurasian autocracies to question their own deep connections with the West. We review these key trends by analyzing the development of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), paying particular attention to Kazakhstan’s position in the organization.