Advantages of the Customs Union, a senator’s view

By Vestnik Kavkaza

The political and economic orientation of Ukraine is one of the key issues in the development of integration processes in the post-Soviet space. The social movement in support of Eurasian integration has been activated in Ukraine, where a number of political forces initiated the preparations for the referendum on Ukraine's accession to the Customs Union. Russian senator Valery Shnyakin explained the advantages of the CU.

He recalled the words of the former US Secretary of State, Mrs. Clinton, that Washington would not tolerate any reconstruction of the Soviet period in whatever guise – the Customs Union, the Eurasian space. According to Shnyakin, for those who live in the former Soviet space and who are actively involved in the integration processes at regional level, she said: "Guys, you have made the right direction."

However, according to Shyankin, “the influential Ukrainian businessman and politician Renat Akhmetov, Yatsenyuk, I do not know what he is, called for a boycott of Russian goods, for increasing tensions and openly declaring a trade war. Renat Akhmetov said that "we shall be victorious and strong after this war."

In this context Shnyakin asks: “where are the real estate, stocks, all the rest of these influential Ukrainian owners? Where will they watch, and where are all their aspirations directed?” And answers: “of course, to the West.”

Shnyakin recalls that “we are in an active phase of the global crisis, a crisis of globalization, political or economic risk. And what happened to some countries? I will mention the Baltic States: I believe that they have bought a ticket to the "Titanic". The allusion was made by the senator because he found certain figures in the internet: “From the beginning of the 1990s to 2011 the population of the Baltic countries decreased by between 13% and 19%. Latvia takes first place in Europe regarding mortality and immigration and everything else. It is clear why I spoke about a ticket on the “Titanic". The people are dying off.”

In November this year, Ukraine plans to sign the association agreement with the EU. “As for the fact that Ukraine will sign the agreement, I do not doubt it,” Shnyakin says. “Since no one will ask the Ukrainian people, there will be appropriate conditions, and we should now remember one thing - to send Yulia Tymoshenko to be treated in the West. Trust me, the vector then will be changed to another direction… I do not know whether the Ukrainians understand that they will sign the document, but that's not the European Union. And when will they be in the European Union? Again a decade or two decades, I do not know how much time, will pass and we will live, and everything will be good and fine. If Ukraine joined the CU, look, there would be a cycle of production - distribution - service - utilization, which would be completely closed.”

Referring to the customs officers, the senator stated: “Today Ukraine, referring to a trade war, who started it and who is in the active phase, Ukraine ranks after the EU and America in third place regarding obstacles to the advancement of Russian goods.”