Originally published June 19, 2023 12:00 pm PDT
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has announced the “Greater Eurasian Partnership” as the flagship project of Russia’s foreign policy, according to a report from the Russian news agency TASS.
Lavrov emphasized the ambition of the project, stating, “Our flagship foreign political project is to [build] support for the concept of the Greater Eurasian Partnership.”
The project represents an ambitious push toward a broader integrative configuration that is inclusive of all countries and associations within the Eurasian continent, the largest continental area on Earth, incorporating all of Europe and Asia.
“What we’re talking about is facilitating the objective process of forming a broad integrative configuration that is open for all countries and associations across our vast continent,” he said.
Practical steps toward this monumental goal are already being made, Lavrov added.
The foreign minister noted that these steps include “interlinking the complementary development plans of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and China’s Belt and Road Initiative, expanding interaction within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) with the involvement of SCO observer states and dialogue partners.”
In addition, he mentioned “strengthening the strategic partnership between Russia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN),” as well as “establishing working contacts among the executive bodies of the EAEU, SCO, and ASEAN.”
Lavrov further described the tangible outcomes expected from this integrative initiative.
He shared, “Among the concrete deliverables [of these processes] we envision the provision of mutually beneficial, interlinking infrastructure and the creation of a continent-wide architecture of peace, development, and cooperation throughout Greater Eurasia.”
The Greater Eurasian Partnership is a proposed initiative by Russia that aims to connect Europe and Asia, promoting integration across the Eurasian continent.
It envisions the development of free trade areas and economic alliances.
Russia and China are key partners in this endeavor, actively pursuing a greater Eurasian partnership.
The initiative has two main economic goals: connecting Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) with China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and establishing a comprehensive system of multilateral cooperation in Eurasia.
Ultimately, the Greater Eurasian Partnership seeks to create a more integrated and prosperous region, making it a long-term transformative project for the Eurasian continent.
