In Central Asia, further Russian integration suddenly seems a long way off

In 2015, at the initiative of Russia, several former Soviet republics created a counterpart to the European Union: the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). With the main objective: economic integration and the strengthening of everyone’s economies. But if it depends on Putin, the cooperation does not stop there.

Long before the actual establishment, several proposals were made, mainly from Moscow, to also add a political and military dimension to this union. It is therefore not uncommon to suggest that the UEE is an artifact of Putin’s Soviet nostalgia.

Reducing the contributions of Armenia and Kyrgyzstan to a pleasant side effect would not be justified, but for Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan are particularly important. While the strategic importance of Belarus has become very clear in recent days, so has Kazakhstan.

Besides the large amount of raw materials and the cultural connection with Kazakhstan, where many ethnic Russians live, there has been a considerable battle on the geopolitical scene in Central Asia for years. Main protagonists: the United States and India, but above all Russia and China.

China as main competitor

This geopolitical battle is rarely about what is called hard power: soldiers who use an iron fist to ensure influence in the region. Moreover, we see that the battle for a dominant role in Central Asia is fought with sweet power† Unlike military domination, international superpowers focus on a non-coercive side of power in which culture, shared values, and foreign policy play a key role.

Of course, economic investments are on the agenda. The main competitor of the Russians: China. The Chinese government has been investing in infrastructure and financial cooperation for years. Considering the many raw materials in the region and the unprecedented strategic location of Central Asia, which is exactly between China, Russia, India and the Islamic world, China is working hard to become the dominant party .

Intertwined with Moscow

However, the importance of Central Asia for Russia goes beyond economic interest and can only be understood by looking beyond the present. This region has been of great importance to Russia for more than 200 years. Initially primarily as a buffer against the northern expansion of the British Empire from British India, later even as part of the Soviet Union.

In 200 years, this predominantly nomadic region has intertwined with Moscow in many ways. Although the region was initially ruled colonially by the Tsars, the Soviet Union focused on modernizing the region: investing in infrastructure and industrialization, drawing borders within which different population groups had reasonable autonomy and, culturally, citizens were “freed from traditional barriers”. .

In practice, this meant, among other things, that women were encouraged to go to school, leading to a doubling of potential workers.

soviet nostalgia

While the reality was not nearly as rosy as is often remembered – both in Central Asia and in Russia – Soviet nostalgia seems to be playing an increasingly important role. Let this be precisely the basis on which Russia has focused in recent years in order to continue to play a major role in Central Asia. In addition to investments in, for example, student exchanges and the preservation of Russian culture in the region, including through the cultural institution Russian Mirointernational relations and economic integration play a crucial role for Putin.

Kazakhstan may have mediated between Russia and Ukraine in the meantime, but the decision not to send troops to Ukraine is still something to think about. The country also abstained from voting at the United Nations General Assembly yesterday, where Belarus voted against condemning the Russian invasion. Faced with fierce international reactions to Russian aggression, Kazakhstan is now on its guard.