In addition to the situation in the Middle East, Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit to the Valdai discussion club spoke today about the benefits of Eurasian integration for the countries of the former Soviet Union. "The Eurasian Union is a project of preservation of the identity of the peoples of the historic Eurasia in the new century and in the new world. Eurasian integration is a chance for the former Soviet Union to become an independent center of global development, rather than the periphery of Europe or Asia," Putin underlined the main advantage of the Eurasian Union.
For Russia, the president said, this integration with its neighbors is a priority, but it will be built on the principle of diversity. "This is a union in which each member will retain their face and political independence," Putin said.
