German Neue Zürcher Zeitung writes that Russia continues using sanctions against its neighbors who keen to sign an Association agreement with the EU. Serzh Sargsyan’s announcement of joining the Custom’s Union was ignored by the West. While that announcement unveiled real aims of foreign policy of Russia, towards which Kremlin was actively working.
According to the author of this article, creation of new political pole in the territory of former USSR is the main purpose of Russia.
In order to not prevent the Custom’s union from having the same fate as USSR, Moscow plans to organize serious integration processes. Even though Putin mentioned the example of EU in 2011, however the real aim of Russia to make small countries “submissive” to Russian authorities.
For reaching that purpose, Russia is taking an advantage of their dependable situation in both economic and energy fields.
They threaten Armenia by increasing the prices of gas and energy and by providing Azerbaijan with weapons, Moldova with Transdniestrian conflict, gas and ban of importing wines, Ukraine with limited energy supplies, tighter rules of customs and import ban.
Belarus has no “need” of such pressures as they are not “threatened” by EU integration. The same is with Azerbaijan, which is not excited about joining the EU with its energy power. Everything is hopeless in the case of Georgia as the latter’s return to “Russian” orbit is unrealistic.
