CONTEMPORARY EURASIA VOLUME VIII (1) ContemporaryEurasia81 | Page 59

MAXIMILIAN OHLE, RICHARD J. COOK, ZHAOYING HAN & RYSBEK MAMAZHANOV
It is discernible that Russia has been maintaining its prevailing role by
exploiting the economic dependencies of its subordinates since the inception
of the institutional frameworks, especially in terms of the trade volume in
bilateral economic exchanges. 51 Despite notable domestic economic
difficulties, Russia is preoccupied with its role as economic hegemon, as it is
able to provide more appreciable financial contributions to the EAEU, which
manifests its significant influence in the decision-making processes. Its
preponderant role is implied by the fact that the EEC is located in Moscow,
so that Russia determines the settings of the contractual arrangements with
other relevant international actors and third countries. 52
With regard to revolution-stricken Kyrgyzstan, Russia has been able
to provide tangible enticements by promising economic development as an
engine for political order in exchange for Bishkek’s commitment to the
EAEU. 53 In this context, the founding treaties of the Eurasian economic
institutionalisation projects can be regarded as a social contract. As
Kyrgyzstan confers a certain degree of authority upon the supranational
institutions that to some extent serve Russia’s interests, they are given
approval to enact policies to generate economic development. Due to
Russia’s prevailing role, Kyrgyzstan has been de facto compelled to
contribute, in order to obtain certain benefits amidst the slump of its
economy. Nevertheless, the EAEU should not be overestimated, as the
economic integration is still in its initial stage, pressuring Bishkek to seek
further diversification of capital influx and markets. 54
(2) The BRI under the auspices of China is a distinct alternative to the
institutionalisation framework, having been launched and substantially
shaped by Russia. Due to China’s insufficient oil, gas and other natural
resources that are vital to satiate the domestic market, Beijing is striving to
develop the diversification of its trade routes and energy efficiency. 55 This is
amplified by its dependency on the Strait of Malacca and the corresponding
geopolitical vulnerabilities, as its geopolitical rivals may suffocate the
51
For instance, the trade volume between Russia and Kazakhstan was estimated USD 7,930.2
million in the first half of 2015, whereas the trade volume between the latter and Belarus
barely reached USD 302.1 million in the same period. Tigran Sargsyan, “Eurasian Economic
Integration: Facts and Figures”, 14.
52
Rilka Dragneva and Kataryna Wolczuk, “The EAEU: Deals, Rules, and the Exercise of
Power”, Chatham House, May 2017,
http://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/default/files/publications/research/2017-05-02-eurasian-
economic-union-dragneva-wolczuk.pdf, (accessed June 23, 2018), 2, 13-17.
53
Stobdan, Central Asia. Democracy, Instability and Strategic Game in Kyrgyzstan, 155, 229.
54
Ksenia Kirkham, “The Formation of the Eurasian Economic Union: How Successful is
Russian Regional Hegemony”, Journal of Eurasian Studies, Vol. 7, No. 2 (2016): 111-128,
here 125.
55
Bernard Cole, China's Quest for Great Power. Ships, Oil, and Foreign Policy (Naval
Institute Press: Annapolis, MD 2016), 134; Petersen and Barysch, “Russia, China and the
Geopolitics of Energy in Central Asia”, 11.
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