Expert Says that Russia cannot Keep Influence over the Former Soviet Republics

Due to economic and political reasons, CIS countries are beginning to look around in search of new partners, the German journalist writes. Russia once again became a superpower, Die Welt writes. Moreover, Moscow “pulls the strings” not only in Syria, says the author of this article. In both the U.S. and Europe Russian security services and pro-Kremlin hackers are trying to exert political influence. In the Baltics, the Russian Air Force provokes NATO troops. The Kremlin demonstrates its power and does not hesitate using military force”, the German journalist writes. Moscow is doing this in order to “keep influence over the former Soviet republics”, Die Welt believes. For the same purposes, Moscow arranged “bloody wars” in Ukraine and Georgia, the author says. The Kremlin does not want neighboring countries to join NATO and the EU. But, despite military aggression, Russia loses political and economic influence in the territory of the CIS. “Post-Soviet countries that have become victims or simply witnesses to Russian great-power politics have been looking for a counterbalance to Russia for a long time, said the political expert Vsevolod Samokhvalov. Many neighboring countries do not see Moscow as a reliable partner, expert says: “They understand that at any moment Russia can sacrifice them to its great-power ambitions.” These countries realized that an alternative could be found to the already established economic ties with Moscow. They begin to build trade relations with the European Union, as well as other major actors as China, Turkey or Saudi Arabia. According to the author, post-Soviet states have fewer reasons to join the Eurasian Union. Nevertheless, the situation has changed for the EU also: it is difficult for Brussels to call for political reforms and insist on respect for human rights when countries like Saudi Arabia or China are ready to invest without asking any inconvenient questions, the journalist explains. Ukraine is a good example of Russia’s weakening influence on the CIS territory. Despite the military aggression in the east of the country and Crimea “occupation”, Kyiv continues to trade with Moscow. But Russia has not been the major Ukrainian partner for a long time. The EU accounts for 40% of the country’s trade turnover. Kyiv is also establishing cooperation with China, Saudi Arabia and other countries. Georgia and Moldova have changed their approach to relations with Russia as well. Russian “aggression” in the east of Ukraine pushes them to search for alternatives. For the moment, two-thirds of Moldovan exports go to the EU.  Moldova is participating in the implementation of the China’s New Silk Road and is negotiating with Beijing establishment of a free trade zone. Georgia is already trading with China without any fees. Last year, China became the third largest foreign investor in the country. Even Moscow’s faithful allies like Kazakhstan, Armenia and Belarus are looking around to find new partners, although unlike Ukraine and Georgia, they are part of the Eurasian Union. For example, the European Union is the largest Kazakhstan’s trading partner (40% of turnover). China ranks fourth in terms of investment in the country, and Russia is only the sixth. Belarus attracts Europeans with a visa-free regime, which makes Moscow angry, Die Welt writes. The Chinese will also visit Belarus without a visa. This is how President Alexander Lukashenko attracts Chinese investments in the framework of the New Silk Road project. “The post-Soviet space as a single economic, political and cultural structure is collapsing”, Samokhvalov said. It is replaced with a new formation, and Russia will no longer control it alone, the author of the article is convinced. Source: Segodnya.ua