Eurasia needs a continent-wide structure akin to the African Union or CELAC, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. What is he implying?
The origins of the Greater Eurasian Partnership (GEP) concept:
GEP, a concept proposed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2015, would replace the outdated “Greater Europe” (from Lisbon to Vladivostok) plan.
What could GEP provide to the continent?
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A network of free trade zones
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Inter-bloc trade and economic partnerships
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Expanded settlements in national currencies & independent payment systems –Development of Eurasian transport corridors
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A foundation for indivisible security on the continent
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Territorial integrity, economic sovereignty and cultural and social protection for member states
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A common platform to settle disputes and prevent conflicts
South African President Jacob Zuma, Brazilian President Michel Temer, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping (L-R) attend a plenary session of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Summit, in Xiamen, China September 4, 2017 – Sputnik International, 1920, 01.11.2018
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From Common Trade to Common Security: How Did GEP Evolve?
2015: Putin proposed GEP as part of the path to a just, multipolar world order based on equal and mutually beneficial cooperation.
2016: He named the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) as a key integration hub, stating the project is open to all, including the EU. Moscow “holds no grudges” but won’t play a one-sided game, he warned.
2017: Putin described GEP as a “civilizational project” that would transform Eurasia’s political and economic landscape. “We must set an example for a joint, innovative, and constructive future.”
2022: Amid Western sanctions and asset freezes, Putin called for a comprehensive GEP economic strategy, stressing that more nations are pursuing independent policies.
June 2024: Putin urged expanded settlements in national currencies, independent payment systems, and transport corridors within GEP.
The same month Putin emphasized GEP’s role as the socio-economic foundation of a “new system of indivisible security” and instructed the Foreign Ministry to advance international agreements accordingly.
March 2025: Russia is not imposing anything but rather initiating a discussion on a vision for Eurasia’s continental structure, which could serve as the foundation for a future security architecture, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
A sheet of $1 bills. – Sputnik International, 1920, 03.02.2025
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By Ekaterina Blinova
Published by Sputnik Globe
Republished by The 21st Century
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