Russia and the CIS in 2019: Relying on the Chinese Way
Niklas Swanström
ABSTRACT
The paper examines the relationship between Russia and the other members of the Commonwealth of Independent States, including how Moscow’s responses to changing geopolitical dynamics framed these relations in 2019. In particular, it considers the changes in preparation for Russia to assume the rotating presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, whose membership overlaps partially with the CIS and which has become a key instrument for engaging with China in the region. For Russia, the organizational structures of both the SCO and the CIS are key instruments to maintain influence within the former Soviet Space, although how Moscow does this varies greatly, not least due to sensitivities about China.
Related Publications
-
ISDP Annual Report 2023
ISDP’s Annual Report for the year 2023. We look back on 2023, a year in which tensions and conflicts captured the strategic space in ISDP’s focus areas, making headlines around […]
-
The US and EU, and the Emerging Supply Chain Network: Politics, Prospects, and Allies
The Global Supply Chains have evolved from simply logistical achievements to being the bedrock of the global economy. Driven by technological advances and geopolitical shifts, this transformation underscores the critical […]
-
China as a Black Sea Actor: An Alternate Route
China’s international role has expanded rapidly in the last decades, and the Greater Central Asian region, Europe, and the Middle East, to which the Black Sea region (BSR) connects, are […]
-
Sino-Russian Relations, From Where – To Where
Since 1949, relations between the Soviet Union/Russia and China have been oscillating between formal military alliances and military border clashes. In the early phases, the cooperation was beneficial for both […]
-
Russia-DPRK Space Cooperation: It’s Politics, Not Science
The recent Vostochny summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin has attracted much international attention. The fact that both leaders pledged to strengthen bilateral […]