Integration in the post-Soviet space has become one of the main topics of the message of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev for the Federal Assembly, Fedor Lukyanov, Editor-in-Chief of Russia in Global Policy Journal, believes.
Lukyanov says that is essential for the president to start and conclude his speech with the topic because Russia has been announcing major integration initiatives for 20 years. The ideas were mostly an imitation, an attempt to make it seem as though Russia is the center of the post-Soviet space. Then the ideas simply died and turned into formal initiatives. This, however, is the first attempt for real well-thought and economically-independent scheme, when partners are not just urged to come but are together, Lukyanov told RIA Novosti.
The expert believes that Eurasian integration should be a priority for new president. It means abandoning attempts to compensate collapse of the Soviet Union with something formal for practical steps.
Lukyanov also noted little attention to politics as a whole. The president just named approaches that have been used and remain. The expert expressed surprise that the president’s reminding about European security architecture, because it is no longer that topical, in his opinion. The situation in Europe and the world changed a lot. But the Fedor Lukyanov does not see a problem of Russian foreign policy in it, it is a reflection of global tendencies.
According to the expert, Russia has been realizing swift foreign policy throughout all its post-Soviet history, the only possible action on the background of the situation in the world. The situation changes before a strategy is developed. Even the US fails to adapt in time. In this aspect, Russia turns out to be ahead of all because it is used to such pace and has been living in such a way for 20 years. The situation will continue to worsen until 2020, he says. Thus, the president gave little attention to foreign policy in his message because there cannot behavior strategy.
