Russia secures influence with the customs union

At the start of July Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia agreed on the start of a new customs union as of January 1, 2011. The news portal Delfi sees the move as Russia's attempt to compensate for the hitherto unsuccessful negotiations over its membership in the World Trade Organisation. "At the same time, however, the world fails (or does not want) to recognise the repercussions the tariff union project could have for the entire region, from Ukraine and the Caucasus stretching all the way to the Baltic states, which will suffer from reduced exports to the countries of the customs union. Let's not forget, the Baltic countries are members of the EU and Nato, so the large member states of Nato and the EU should put more stock in their security than in accommodating Russia. After all, the customs union could merely be a means on the part of Russian Prime Minister Putin to create an institution in the post-Soviet zone that will exert considerable influence over the entire region. The common trade area would then be no more than a means to his true end."

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