The future enlargement of the Eurasian Economic Union is theoretically open to any of the

Post-Soviet states The post-Soviet states, also known as the former Soviet Union (FSU), the former Soviet Republics and in Russia as the near abroad (russian: links=no, ближнее зарубежье, blizhneye zarubezhye), are the 15 sovereign states that wer ...

and potentially any country of

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...

. In order to accede, a state must fulfill certain economic and political requirements. Enlargement of the Union is also subject to the consent of all existing members and the candidate's adoption of existing EEU laws and implementing previous decisions made by the

Eurasian Economic Commission The Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) is the executive body of the Eurasian Economic Union responsible for implementing decisions, upholding the EEU treaties and managing the day-to-day business of the Eurasian Economic Union. The main task of ...

. The present agenda of the enlargement of the Eurasian Economic Union is primarily focused on

Tajikistan Tajikistan (, ; tg, Тоҷикистон, Tojikiston; russian: Таджикистан, Tadzhikistan), officially the Republic of Tajikistan ( tg, Ҷумҳурии Тоҷикистон, Jumhurii Tojikiston), is a landlocked country in Centr ...

. Meanwhile,

Moldova Moldova ( , ; ), officially the Republic of Moldova ( ro, Republica Moldova), is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. The unrecognised state of Transnistr ...

was granted Observer Status in April 2017, followed by

Uzbekistan Uzbekistan (, ; uz, Ozbekiston, italic=yes / , ; russian: Узбекистан), officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( uz, Ozbekiston Respublikasi, italic=yes / ; russian: Республика Узбекистан), is a doubly landlocked co ...

and

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

in December 2020. The process of enlargement is referred to as Eurasian integration or

Eurasianism Eurasianism (russian: евразийство, ''yevraziystvo'') is a political movement in Russia which states that Russian civilization does not belong in the "European" or "Asian" categories but instead to the geopolitical concept of Eurasia, ...

. This term is also used to refer to the intensification of economic cooperation between Eurasian Economic Union member states.

Past enlargement

Armenia

In December 2012, Armenian President

Serzh Sargsyan Serzh Azati Sargsyan ( hy, Սերժ Ազատի Սարգսյան, ; born 30 June 1954)Of ...

stated that EU, CIS and Eurasian integration need not be mutually exclusive. Maja Kocijancic, a spokeswoman for the former EU High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton, responded that "if Armenia were to join any customs union, this would not be compatible with concluding a bilateral Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area between the EU and Armenia because a customs union has a common external trade policy and an individual member country no longer has sovereign control over its external trade policies." Although

Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ' ...

completed its negotiations with the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been de ...

towards signing an

Association Agreement A European Union Association Agreement or simply Association Agreement (AA) is a treaty between the European Union (EU), its Member States and a non-EU country that creates a framework for co-operation between them. Areas frequently covered by su ...

in July 2013, on 3 September 2013,

President of Armenia The president of Armenia ( hy, Հայաստանի Նախագահ, Hayastani Nakhagah) is the head of state and the guarantor of independence and territorial integrity of Armenia elected to a single seven-year term by the National Assembly of Arm ...

Serzh Sargsyan announced in Moscow that Armenia will join the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia. A Russian government communique stated that, "Armenia asdecided to join the Customs Union and take the necessary practical steps to subsequently participate in the formation of the Eurasian Economic Union." This decision was widely described as a "U-turn" by the Western media. On 2 October 2013, Sargsyan stated at the

Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) is the parliamentary arm of the Council of Europe, a 46-nation international organisation dedicated to upholding human rights, democracy and the rule of law. The Assembly is made up ...

session that Armenia was still prepared to sign a deal with the EU during the

Eastern Partnership The Eastern Partnership (EaP) is a joint initiative of the European External Action Service of the European Union (EU) together with the EU, its member states, and six Eastern European partners governing the EU's relationship with the post-Sovi ...

summit in

Vilnius Vilnius ( , ; see also other names) is the capital and largest city of Lithuania, with a population of 592,389 (according to the state register) or 625,107 (according to the municipality of Vilnius). The population of Vilnius's functional urb ...

in November 2013, without the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area component of the agreement that contradicts Armenia's membership in the Eurasian Customs Union.President Sargsyan says Armenia to continue cooperation with EU
ArmeniaNow.com (2 October 2013)Armenia's Receding European Ambitions

Institute for War and Peace Reporting The Institute for War & Peace Reporting (IWPR) is an independent nonprofit organization that claims to train and provide publishing opportunities for professional and citizen journalists. History IWPR was founded in 1991 under the name Yugofax. ...

(18 October 2013) This proposal was rejected by the EU and no deal was signed between Armenia and the EU at the summit. On 9 October 2014, Armenia signed a treaty on its accession to the EEU and became the newest member state on 2 January 2015. Although Armenia's trade with members of the European Union far exceeds that with the Eurasian Customs Union members of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan combined, Armenia is dependent on Russia for security. Armenia's alliance with Russia is seen by Armenia as a counterbalance to

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of t ...

's sharp hike in military spending (Azerbaijan bought

tank A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and good battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful engi ...

s, artillery cannons and rocket launchers worth billions of

US dollars The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...

from Russia in 2011, 2012 and 2013). This is seen by Armenia as a threat given that the

Nagorno-Karabakh conflict The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is an ethnic and territorial conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, inhabited mostly by ethnic Armenians, and seven surrounding districts, inhabited mostly by Azerbaij ...

remains unresolved. Russia also maintains an active military base in Armenia.

Support and opposition

According to a poll conducted by

Gallup International Association The Gallup International Association (GIA) is an association of polling organizations registered in Zurich, Switzerland. The Gallup International Association was founded in 1947 in Loxwood Hall, Sussex, UK. Dr. George H. Gallup served as its fir ...

in October 2013, 64% of Armenians are in favor of Armenia's membership in the union. Past factions in the

Armenian National Assembly Armenian National Assembly was the governing body of the Armenian millet in the Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρα� ...

, have either stated their support or their lack of opposition to the Armenian government's decision to join the union, while others favor launching accession negotiations with the European Union. Meanwhile,

Levon Ter-Petrosyan Levon Hakobi Ter-Petrosyan ( hy, Լևոն Հակոբի Տեր-Պետրոսյան; born 9 January 1945), also known by his initials LTP, is an Armenian politician who served as the first president of Armenia from 1991 until his resignation in 1998 ...

, Armenia's First President and the leader of the

Armenian National Congress The Armenian National Congress ( hy, italic=yes, Հայ Ազգային Կոնգրես, translit=Hay Azgayin Kongres) is an Armenian political party led by former president Levon Ter-Petrosyan and formed in 2008. Its direct predecessor was the P ...

, stated during a rally on 1 March 2014 that the decision is irreversible. In an October 2014 rally, Ter-Petrosyan reiterated that Armenia's membership is an "irreversible process" and is now a fait accompli. "He never said that the entry is profitable. Instead, he accused those who oppose it of 'adventurism'." He "cited the example of the events in Ukraine, which has lost a lot due to its failure to agree to join the 'New USSR', and the same could also happen to Armenia." Ter-Petrosyan stated: "Is it really so hard to understand that in such a situation our country would simply disappear from the world map? ... Even the West treats Armenia's decision with understanding, while a group of people here are trying to prove the opposite and push for an anti-Russian movement." Among the most notable opponents of Armenia's membership to the union are the four former foreign affairs ministers: Raffi Hovannisian (1991–92), Vahan Papazyan (1993–96),

Alexander Arzumanyan Alexander Arzumanyan ( hy, Ալեքսանդր Ռոբերտի Արզումանյան; born 24 December 1959) is Armenia's first ambassador to the United States (from 1992–1993) and to the United Nations (from 1992–1996). He served as minister ...

(1996-98) and

Vartan Oskanian Vartan Minasi Oskanian ( hy, Վարդան Մինասի Օսկանյան; born February 7, 1954) is the former Foreign Minister of Armenia (1998–2008) and founder of the Civilitas Foundation. Early life and career Born into a wealthy Armenian ...

(1998-2008). Hovannisian, who officially came second in the 2013 presidential election, stated that Armenia's accession to the Eurasian Union "limits its sovereignty." Hovannisian's

Heritage Heritage may refer to: History and society * A heritage asset is a preexisting thing of value today ** Cultural heritage is created by humans ** Natural heritage is not * Heritage language Biology * Heredity, biological inheritance of physica ...

party opposes Armenia's membership in the union. Other significant politicians who have stated their opposition include former Prime Minister

Aram Sargsyan Aram Zaveni Sargsyan ( hy, Արամ Զավենի Սարգսյան; 2 January 1961) is an Armenian political figure. He was Prime Minister of Armenia from 3 November 1999 to 2 May 2000. He is the younger brother of Vazgen Sargsyan. In 2001, he fou ...

and Soviet dissident Paruyr Hayrikyan, whose party

Union for National Self-Determination Union for National Self-Determination ( hy, Ազգային ինքնորոշում միավորում; ''Azgayin ink’noroshum miavorum'') is an Armenian political party. It was founded in 1987 by Paruyr Hayrikyan, a Soviet dissident seeking indep ...

, actively calls for Armenia to withdraw its membership from the Eurasian Union. Former Prime Minister

Hrant Bagratyan Hrant Ararati Bagratyan ( hy, Հրանտ Արարատի Բագրատյան; born 18 October 1958) is an Armenian politician. He was the Prime Minister of Armenia from 2 February 1993 until 4 November 1996, and a former member of the Pan-Armenia ...

, although not actively opposing the union, stated that Armenia is an " exclave" of the union and is not a "welcomed guest" there. In December 2014, leader of the Armenian National Movement Party, Ararat Zurabyan stated, "Armenia's membership in the Eurasian Economic Union is the beginning of the collapse of Armenia." On 9 June 2015, Styopa Safaryan, Head of the Armenian Institute of International and Security Affairs, stated that Russia had blackmailed Armenia to not sign an

with the EU. Safaryan said that Russia had isolated Armenia and called on Armenian authorities to resume negotiations on signing an agreement with the EU. On 10 August 2015, Safaryan also stated that there are no benefits of Armenia joining the Eurasian Economic Union and that joining the economic union had brought no improvements to the Armenian economy. On 24 February 2017, Tigran Sargsyan, the Chairman of the Eurasian Economic Commission stated that Armenia's stance was to cooperate and work with both the European Union and the Eurasian Union. Sargsyan added that although Armenia is part of the Eurasian Union, a newly revised Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement would be finalized in November 2017. Prior to the

2018 Armenian parliamentary election Snap parliamentary elections were held in Armenia on 9 December 2018, as none of the parties in the National Assembly were able to put forward and then elect a candidate for Prime Minister in the two-week period following the resignation of incum ...

, several political parties campaigned on a

pro-European Pro-Europeanism, sometimes called European Unionism, is a political position that favours European integration and membership of the European Union (EU).Krisztina Arató, Petr Kaniok (editors). ''Euroscepticism and European Integration''. Politi ...

agenda. Bright Armenia, the Republic Party, the Rule of Law Party, the Free Democrats and the

European Party of Armenia The European Party of Armenia () is a pro-European political party in Armenia. It was founded on 6 November 2018 by film-maker Tigran Khzmalyan. History The founding congress of the European Party of Armenia was held on 6 November 2018, in Yer ...

for example, support Armenia's withdrawal from the Eurasian Union and wish to renegotiate an Association Agreement including a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area with the European Union. A 2018 survey conducted by EU Neighbors East determined that 70% of people in Armenia trust the EU (up 5% from 2017), while trust in the Eurasian Economic Union (48%) has declined. In November 2020, the

, the

and the Sasna Tsrer Pan-Armenian Party held a rally in central

Yerevan Yerevan ( , , hy, Երևան , sometimes spelled Erevan) is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and i ...

. The three parties called for the creation of a truly sovereign Armenia by ending Russian political occupation, while aligning closer with Europe. Chairman of the European Party of Armenia,

Tigran Khzmalyan Tigran Khzmalyan (also known as Xmalian) ( hy, Տիգրան Խզմալյան) is an Armenian independent filmmaker, screenwriter, producer, and political activist. Since 2018, Khzmalyan has served as the Chairman of the European Party of Armenia. ...

, has also called for Armenia to withdraw from the

CSTO The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is an intergovernmental military alliance in Eurasia consisting of six post-Soviet states: Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan. The Collective Security Treaty has ...

military alliance.

Republic of Artsakh

The breakaway state of the

Republic of Artsakh Artsakh, officially the Republic of Artsakh () or the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (),, is a breakaway state in the South Caucasus whose territory is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan. Artsakh controls a part of the former ...

did not enter the Eurasian Union upon Armenia's accession in January 2015. However, the government of Armenia stressed that under no circumstances would a customs checkpoint be set up between Armenia and Artsakh.

Kyrgyzstan

In October 2011, the acting prime minister of

Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan,, pronounced or the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the south, and the People's Republic of China to the ea ...

announced that his country will join the union, and that the process had been agreed to with the prime ministers of the other member states. On 11 August 2014, the Kyrgyz president

Almazbek Atambayev Almazbek Sharshen uluu Atambayev ( ky, Алмазбек Шаршен уулу Атамбаев, translit=Almazbek Şarşen uulu Atambayev; born 17 September 1956) is a Kyrgyz politician who served as the President of Kyrgyzstan from 1 December 2 ...

, met with

Russian president The president of the Russian Federation ( rus, Президент Российской Федерации, Prezident Rossiyskoy Federatsii) is the head of state of the Russian Federation. The president leads the executive branch of the federal ...

Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin; (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who holds the office of president of Russia. Putin has served continuously as president or prime minister since 1999: as prime min ...

and stated that Kyrgyzstan plans to join the Eurasian Customs Union and the Eurasian Economic Union by the end of 2014. Kyrgyzstan signed an accession treaty on 23 December 2014. It ratified its accession treaty in May 2015, and it came into force on 6 August 2015, when it became the newest member state.

Crimea

The annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation in early 2014 made

Crimea Crimea, crh, Къырым, Qırım, grc, Κιμμερία / Ταυρική, translit=Kimmería / Taurikḗ ( ) is a peninsula in Ukraine, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, that has been occupied by Russia since 2014. It has a pop ...

a de facto part of the Eurasian Economic Union as a territory of

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...

Potential future enlargement

Azerbaijan

The Azerbaijani minister for the Economy, stated that the country is not prepared to join the union. Azerbaijan's foreign minister reiterated those statements by clarifying that joining the EEU was not currently on the country's agenda. The foreign minister however also reaffirmed the "warm and friendly relations between Russia and Azerbaijan based on mutual respect and mutually beneficial cooperation" Azerbaijan's ambassador to Belarus also stated that

's accession to the Eurasian Economic Union would not infringe upon the interests of Azerbaijan. He further stated “for our partners, as well as Azerbaijan, the union opens up great promises. It increases the market by several times and opens up great opportunities for our partners. We are optimistic about the future of this union.” He also expressed hope that the number of participants of the union will increase in the near future.

Cuba

On 11 December 2020,

became an observer member in the Eurasian Union. Cuba becomes the first country outside Eurasia and the first country from the

Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with th ...

to be granted observer status to the Eurasian Union. It is unclear if the country will seek full membership.

Georgia

In September 2013, during an interview, the Prime Minister

Bidzina Ivanishvili Bidzina Ivanishvili ( ka, ბიძინა ივანიშვილი, also known as Boris Grigoryevich Ivanishvili ; born 18 February 1956) is a Georgian politician, billionaire businessman and philanthropist, who served as Prime Minist ...

was open to the possibility of Georgia joining the Customs Union "if it will be advantageous for our country". He later clarified that Georgia's main strategy was still to integrate into the European Union. Russia's Prime Minister

Dmitri Medvedev Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev ( rus, links=no, Дмитрий Анатольевич Медведев, p=ˈdmʲitrʲɪj ɐnɐˈtolʲjɪvʲɪtɕ mʲɪdˈvʲedʲɪf; born 14 September 1965) is a Russian politician who has been serving as the dep ...

included Georgia as a prospective member in statements made in August 2013. Georgia signed a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement with the EU in 2014, meaning it has affirmed to move towards EU standards, customs regulations, quality controls and free market competition. In response, Sergei Glazyev, a Russian presidential adviser, claimed it was now unlikely that Georgia could become a member of the Eurasian Economic Union. In December 2015, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister

Grigory Karasin Grigory Borisovich Karasin (russian: Григорий Борисович Карасин; born 23 August 1949) is a Russian career diplomat who formerly served as a State Secretary and a Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia. Career ...

stated that, "Moscow was ready to restore diplomatic relations with Tbilisi." A mutual visa-free system between Georgia and Russia was discussed, as part of the effort to reintroduce relations. In a March 18 interview, foreign minister Mikheil Janelidze said that further integration with the European Union, possible membership in NATO and restoring its international recognized borders are “red lines” in talks with Russia. He also said that, "This ilateraldialogue

ith Russia The Ith () is a ridge in Germany's Central Uplands which is up to 439 m high. It lies about 40 km southwest of Hanover and, at 22 kilometres, is the longest line of crags in North Germany. Geography Location The Ith is immediatel ...

is oriented to find ways to have relations in those areas which are not out of the red lines."

Abkhazia

In 2014, a proposed treaty between Abkhazia and Russia was announced which would bring the de facto Republic in closer union with Russia and in alignment with the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union. Abkhazia would also have to harmonize its tax and customs regulations with those of the Eurasian Economic Union.

South Ossetia

Like Abkhazia, the breakaway region of

South Ossetia South Ossetia, ka, სამხრეთი ოსეთი, ( , ), officially the Republic of South Ossetia – the State of Alania, is a partially recognised landlocked state in the South Caucasus. It has an officially stated populat ...

has proclaimed its desire to integrate closer with and perhaps join the Eurasian Economic Union.

Moldova

In 2014, the

n government rejected the idea of Eurasian Economic Union and instead signed the Moldova–European Union Association Agreement, a European Union Association Agreement establishing closer Moldovan–EU ties.EU signs pacts with Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova

BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...

(27 June 2014) In February 2014, over the objections of the Moldovan central government, the

Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia Gagauzia or Gagauz-Yeri, or ; ro, Găgăuzia; russian: Гагаузия, Gagauziya officially the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia; ro, Unitatea Teritorială Autonomă Găgăuzia, ''UTAG''; russian: Автономное территор ...

(which had a population of about 155,000 at the time) held two referendums on European integration. In one, 98.4% voted in favor of joining the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia, while in the second 97.2% opposed further integration with the EU. 98.9% also supported the proposition that Gagauzia could declare independence if Moldova unified with Romania. Many locals in Gagauzia feared that closer EU integration was a step toward the

unification of Romania and Moldova The unification of Moldova and Romania is a popular concept in the two countries that began in the late 1980s, during the Revolutions of 1989. The Romanian Revolution in 1989 and the independence of Moldova in 1991 further contributed to the ...

, which is unpopular in the autonomous region. The referendum was disputed by Moldovan authorities, who termed it unconstitutional, and a challenge to the territorial integrity of Moldova. In January 2017, newly elected President Igor Dodon said that he intended to have Moldova scrap its trade agreement with the

(EU) in favour of joining the Eurasian Union. Dodon, the first Moldovan president to visit Russia for nine years, said he had asked

to look into how Moldova could join Eurasian Economic Union's regulatory body. On March 22, 2017, the President of Moldova confirmed he has formally initiated the process for granting observer status to Moldova in the Eurasian Union. At the end of May, the member states of the union will analyze Moldova's request, which is the first step towards the country becoming part of the EAEU, said the president.https://seenews.com/news/moldova-seeks-observer-status-at-eurasian-economic-union-president-562507 , (See News) (22 March 2017) On April 14, 2017, The President of Moldova confirmed that Moldova became the first Observer member of the Eurasian Union. In October 2019, during a meeting in Yerevan, President Igor Dodon stated that he hoped to establish a permanent representative of Moldova to the Eurasian Economic Commission. In a 2022 poll, it was shown that 41.5% of Moldovans would support joining the Eurasian Economic Union and that 37.2% of Moldovans would oppose this. Furthermore, if Moldovans could chose between joining the EEU or joining the European Union (EU), 31.9% would prefer to join the former while 46.2% would choose to join the latter.

Transnistria

In December 2016, presidential elections took place in the self-proclaimed republic of

Transnistria Transnistria, officially the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR), is an unrecognised breakaway state that is internationally recognised as a part of Moldova. Transnistria controls most of the narrow strip of land between the Dniester riv ...

, a breakaway state that is internationally unrecognized (see political status of Transnistria). In his victory speech, President

Vadim Krasnoselsky Vadim Nikolaevich Krasnoselsky (russian: Вади́м Никола́евич Красносе́льский; ro, Vadim Nicolaevici Crasnoselschii; born 14 April 1970) is a Transnistrian politician who is the 3rd and current President of Trans ...

promised to integrate Transnistria into the Eurasian Economic Union.

Mongolia

In September 2016, the press service of the Eurasian Economic Commission issued a statement after a meeting attended by chairman of the Board of the Union Tigran Sargsyan and Ambassador of

Mongolia Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million, ...

to Russia Banzragch Delgermaa that Mongolia was considering seeking membership in the Eurasian Economic Union.

Serbia

The 1389 Movement in

Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hungar ...

supports Serbian membership of the organisation.

Syria

In July 2015, Syrian Prime Minister Wael Halqi said that "Negotiations with Russia on joining the Eurasian Union and customs-free zone are being held. We see this as a benefit and strengthening the relations with friendly states, which will facilitate economic and trade cooperation with them", during a meeting in Damascus.

Tajikistan

plans to join the Customs Union. The country has signed the CIS Free Trade Zone Agreement and is close to ratifying the treaty. A border dispute with EEU member Kyrgyzstan has arisen as a potential obstacle. Support for joining the bloc remains high in Tajikistan, according to polls conducted by the

Eurasian Development Bank The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) is an international financial institution investing in the development of the economies, trade and other economic ties, and integration in Eurasian countries. The EDB was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in ...

in October 2016, showed that 68 percent of people quizzed in Tajikistan favored membership.

Turkey

A statement by the Kazakhstan Presidential Office on the 6 June 2014 said that

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...

President

Nursultan Nazarbayev Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev ( kk, Нұрсұлтан Әбішұлы Назарбаев, Nūrsūltan Äbişūlı Nazarbaev, ; born 6 July 1940) is a Kazakh politician and military officer who served as the first President of Kazakhstan, in off ...

had extended an invitation to the President of

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...

Abdullah Gül Abdullah Gül (; ; born 29 October 1950) is a Turkish politician who served as the 11th President of Turkey, in office from 2007 to 2014. He previously served for four months as Prime Minister from 2002 to 2003, and concurrently served as bo ...

for his country to join the Eurasian Economic Union. The statement was released the day after the fourth summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States (Turkic Council) on June 4 and 5 in the Turkish port city of

Bodrum Bodrum () is a port city in Muğla Province, southwestern Turkey, at the entrance to the Gulf of Gökova. Its population was 35,795 at the 2012 census, with a total of 136,317 inhabitants residing within the district's borders. Known in ancient ...

. However Turkey presently has a customs agreement with the EU.

Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan Turkmenistan ( or ; tk, Türkmenistan / Түркменистан, ) is a country located in Central Asia, bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, east and northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the sout ...

is closely integrated economically with other Central Asian and

Commonwealth of Independent States The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is a regional intergovernmental organization in Eurasia. It was formed following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. It covers an area of and has an estimated population of 239,796,010. ...

members. However, Turkmenistan has pursued a policy of political isolation and currently has not stated plans to either join or not join the EEU.

Ukraine

Membership in the Customs Union

The former president of Ukraine,

Viktor Yanukovych Viktor Fedorovych Yanukovych ( uk, Віктор Федорович Янукович, ; ; born 9 July 1950) is a former politician who served as the fourth president of Ukraine from 2010 until he was removed from office in the Revolution of D ...

, stated in November 2010 and March 2012 that

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...

may join the Customs Union in the future, but that the Constitution of Ukraine did not presently allow them to join. However, he also stated in April 2010 that Ukraine would not join the Customs Union. During this time, Ukraine was negotiating an

with the

which was seen by the EU as being incompatible with Ukraine entering the Customs Union; the latter would end the chances for the Association Agreement according to

European Commission President The president of the European Commission is the head of the European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union (EU). The President of the Commission leads a Cabinet of Commissioners, referred to as the College, collectively account ...

José Manuel Barroso.Yanukovych Drives Ukraine Toward EU as Russian Natural Gas Agreement Looms

Bloomberg L.P. Bloomberg L.P. is a privately held financial, software, data, and media company headquartered in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It was co-founded by Michael Bloomberg in 1981, with Thomas Secunda, Duncan MacMillan, Charles Zegar, and a 1 ...

(25 May 2011) Yanukovych at the time stated he wanted to pursue EU membership for Ukraine. In May 2011, Yanukovych stated that Ukraine was "searching for mechanisms of cooperation that will allow us to work with the customs union to the extent which Ukrainian laws and our obligations to world organizations such as the

World Trade Organization The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an intergovernmental organization that regulates and facilitates international trade. With effective cooperation in the United Nations System, governments use the organization to establish, revise, and ...

allow”. Yanukovych would later say that he was in negotiations with

to "find the right model" for cooperation with the Customs Union, while simultaneously trying to get Ukraine's agreements with the EU on free trade and political association signed by the EU.Ukraine's jailed Tymoshenko calls off hunger strike

Kyiv Post The ''Kyiv Post'' is the oldest English-language newspaper in Ukraine, founded in October 1995 by Jed Sunden. History American Jed Sunden founded the ''Kyiv Post'' weekly newspaper on Oct. 18, 1995 and later created KP Media for his holdings. ...

(16 November 2012)EU leaders:Ratification of Association Agreement and DCFTA depends on settlement of Tymoshenko-Lutsenko issue

(20 July 2012)Ukraine's Lutsenko jailed for 4 years (updated)

(27 February 2012) He also expressed hope that the Association Agreement with the EU would be signed in 2013. Then Ukrainian Prime Minister

Mykola Azarov Mykola Yanovych Azarov ( uk, Мико́ла Я́нович Аза́ров, ; né Pakhlo; Cyrillic: Пахло; born 17 December 1947) is a Ukrainian politician who was the Prime Minister of Ukraine from 11 March 2010 to 27 January 2014. He was t ...

stated in December 2012 that Ukraine could and should cooperate with both the Customs Union and the European Union at the same time. In January 2013, President Yanukovych stated that he had cancelled a visit to

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 millio ...

in December 2012 because his country was not yet ready to join the Customs Union. He further stated that Ukraine was trying to meet the legal requirements of the customs union without harming other international accords and that "experts from both sides [Ukraine and

] are currently working on this issue". However, he did not commit Ukraine to joining the union.Ukraine leader cautious on Russian customs union plans

(4 January 2013)

Arseniy Yatsenyuk Arseniy Petrovych Yatsenyuk ( uk, Арсеній Петрович Яценюк ; born 22 May 1974) is a Ukrainian politician, economist and lawyer who served as Prime Minister of Ukraine twice – from 27 February 2014 to 27 November 2014 and f ...

, the leader of

Batkivshchyna The All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland" ( uk, Всеукраїнське об'єднання "Батьківщина", translit=Vseukrains'ke obiednannia "Bat'kivshchyna") referred to as Batkivshchyna (), is a political party in Ukraine led by Pe ...

, Ukraine's second largest party, was against Ukraine joining the Customs Union.After the parliamentary elections in Ukraine: a tough victory for the Party of Regions
, Centre for Eastern Studies (7 November 2012) He stated in December 2012 that "Ukraine's joining the Customs Union means the restoration of the Soviet Union in a slightly different form and with a different name. But this means that the country will become a part of the Russian Empire. We know history. We have been there and we don't want to return there".Yatseniuk:Prosecution of Tymoshenko, Lutsenko hinders Ukraine-EU integration

(4 December 2012) On 25 February 2013, President of the European Commission Barroso made it again clear "One country cannot at the same time be a member of a customs union and be in a deep common free-trade area with the European Union".EU to Ukraine: Reforms necessary for trade pact

(25 February 2013)
Ukraine Faces EU Reform Deadline as Key to Association Pact
,

Bloomberg Businessweek ''Bloomberg Businessweek'', previously known as ''BusinessWeek'', is an American weekly business magazine published fifty times a year. Since 2009, the magazine is owned by New York City-based Bloomberg L.P. The magazine debuted in New York City ...

(25 February 2013)
Yanukovych happy with results of Ukrainian-EU summit

(25 February 2013) In March 2013 Ukraine and the EU initialled their Association Agreement with the EU, which still needed to be signed and ratified before its entry into force.

Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine ( uk, Голова Верховної Ради України, Holova Verkhovnoi Rady Ukrainy) is the presiding officer of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's unicameral parliament. The chairman presides ...

(Ukraine's parliament) Volodymyr Rybak stated on 7 March 2013 "the Customs Union issue is not being discussed". A December 2012 poll by Democratic Initiatives Foundation and

Razumkov Center Razumkov Centre ( uk, Центр Разумкова), or fully the Ukrainian Centre for Economic and Political Studies named after Olexander Razumkov ( uk, Український центр економічних і політичних дослі ...

, 32% supported Ukraine's accession to the Customs Union.

Observer status of the Customs Union

Negotiations on granting Ukraine observer status in the Customs Union took place in April/May 2013. This status would give Ukraine the right to attend meetings, join the preparation of documents but excludes the right to vote.Ukraine will join the Customs Union on observer status
forex.co (29 April 2013) An association agreement to grant Ukraine an "observer" status was signed on 31 May 2013 in

Minsk Minsk ( be, Мінск ; russian: Минск) is the capital and the largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach and the now subterranean Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the admi ...

. Ukraine's status as an observer state was said to not conflict with its then planned Association Agreement with the EU.Ukraine to be observer in Russia-led trade bloc

Reuters Reuters ( ) is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters Corporation. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide. Reuters is one of the largest news agencies in the world. The agency was esta ...

(31 May 2013) Prime Minister Mykola Azarov stated on 7 June 2013 that "very favorable terms", including "a sharp reduction in gas price and the cancellation of crude oil export duties", had been offered to Ukraine for its accession to the Customs Union, but stressed that its membership of the

, and associated agreements, prevented Ukraine from joining the Customs Union. This status would be abrogated if Ukraine enters the

Signature of their Association Agreement with the EU

Yanukovych eventually refused to sign the Association Agreement in November 2013, which led to

protests A protest (also called a demonstration, remonstration or remonstrance) is a public expression of objection, disapproval or dissent towards an idea or action, typically a political one. Protests can be thought of as acts of coopera ...

that lead to his ousting in February 2014. The new government of Ukraine and the EU signed an Association Agreement on 21 March and 27 June 2014. On 30 June 2014, Russian presidential aide (for developing the Customs Union) (Then Advisor to

Russian President The president of the Russian Federation ( rus, Президент Российской Федерации, Prezident Rossiyskoy Federatsii) is the head of state of the Russian Federation. The president leads the executive branch of the federal ...

)

Sergei Glazyev Sergey Yurievich Glazyev (russian: Серге́й Юрьевич Глазьев) (born January 1, 1961, in Zaporozhye, Ukrainian SSR, USSR) is a Russian politician and economist, member of the National Financial Council of the Bank of Russia, ...

stated that the signing of the EU Association Agreements by Ukraine,

and

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

meant that they could not join the Customs Union or the Common Economic Space. He described it as "a significant loss for us".Putin admitted that Ukraine can not enter the Customs Union

Ukrayinska Pravda ''Ukrainska Pravda'' ( uk, Українська правда, lit=Ukrainian Truth) is a Ukrainian online newspaper founded by Georgiy Gongadze on 16 April 2000 (the day of the Ukrainian constitutional referendum). Published mainly in Ukrai ...

(30 June 2014)

Luhansk People's Republic

In June 2014 officials of the

Luhansk People's Republic The Luhansk or Lugansk People's Republic (russian: Луга́нская Наро́дная Респу́блика, Luganskaya Narodnaya Respublika, ; abbreviated as LPR or LNR, rus, ЛНР) is a disputed entity created by Russian-backed ...

, a self-proclaimed breakaway region, stated that the Republic would seek cooperation with international bodies in the post-Soviet space, including the Eurasian Union.

Donetsk People's Republic

In 2014 the pro-Russian self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic rejected Ukrainian EU integration and expressed an interest in acceding to the Customs Union.Guide to the EU deals with Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine

(30 June 2014)

Uzbekistan

Senate Speaker Ilgizar Sobirov, head of the

parliament's upper chamber, showed support in joining the Russian-led trade bloc on 12 November 2013, after meeting a delegation from the Russian parliament's upper chamber. On 29 May 2014, Uzbekistan's president

Islam Karimov Islam Abduganiyevich Karimov ( uz, Islom Abdugʻaniyevich Karimov / Ислом Абдуғаниевич Каримов, italics=no; russian: link=no, Ислам Абдуганиевич Каримов; 30 January 1938 – 2 September 2016) was t ...

criticized the union on the basis of loss of sovereignty and expressed his opposition to the project. In December 2016, Uzbekistan's new President

Shavkat Mirziyoyev Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev (Uzbek Latin: ''Shavkat Miromonovich (Miromon o‘g‘li) Mirziyoyev'', Uzbek Cyrillic: Шавкат Миромонович (Миромон ўғли) Мирзиёев ; born 24 July 1957) is an Uzbek politician ...

, reportedly revisited the topic of Uzbekistan potentially joining the Moscow-led Eurasian Economic Union. In April 2018, Uzbekistan began reforming its import tariffs and regulations to match EAEU norms, in an attempt to develop economic growth and mutual trade with EAEU members. In October 2019, Uzbek government officials announced that Uzbekistan will aim to complete negotiations for a free trade deal with the Eurasian Union by the end of 2021. In March 2020, Uzbekistan announced that it wished to become a Eurasian Union observer state. In April 2020, Uzbekistan's parliament approved a bill confirming the government's intention to seek observer status. If the senate approves it, the bill will go to the president, which if signed, a formal request to be accepted as an observer state will be made. On 11 December 2020, Uzbekistan became an observer member of the Eurasian Economic Union. It is expected that Uzbekistan will seek to obtain full membership by 2023.

Free trade agreements

In January 2017, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that around 50 countries expressed their willingness to cooperate with the Eurasian Union. In March 2017, the President of

stated that he is optimistic about the future of the Eurasian Economic Union and its potential growth. He further added that the market of the Eurasian Economic Union countries with their population of over 183 million is very promising and believes that other

trade blocs A trade bloc is a type of intergovernmental agreement, often part of a regional intergovernmental organization, where barriers to trade (tariffs and others) are reduced or eliminated among the participating states. Trade blocs can be stand-alon ...

including the

ASEAN ASEAN ( , ), officially the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is a political and economic union of 10 member states in Southeast Asia, which promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic, political, security, militar ...

Mercosur The Southern Common Market, commonly known by Spanish abbreviation Mercosur, and Portuguese Mercosul, is a South American trade bloc established by the Treaty of Asunción in 1991 and Protocol of Ouro Preto in 1994. Its full members are Arge ...

, and the

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation russian: Шанхайская Организация Сотрудничества , image = , caption = , logo = SCO logo.svg , logo_size = 160px , map = Shanghai Cooperati ...

could be interested in possible future trade deals. Some of these relationships are outlined below:

Andean Community

A memorandum of understanding between the Eurasian Economic Commission and the

Andean Community The Andean Community ( es, Comunidad Andina, CAN) is a free trade area with the objective of creating a customs union comprising the South American countries of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. The trade bloc was called the Andean Pact ...

was signed on 23 March 2017. The memorandum provides a platform for information exchange and joint activities including conferences and forums of the representatives of business communities and authorities from the EAEU and Andean Community member states.

Argentina

In December 2018, the Argentine president

Mauricio Macri Mauricio Macri (; born 8 February 1959) is an Argentine businessman and politician who served as the President of Argentina from 2015 to 2019. He has been the leader of the Republican Proposal (PRO) party since its founding in 2005. He previo ...

held talks with Russia's Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the

2018 G20 Buenos Aires summit ' The 2018 G20 Buenos Aires summit was the thirteenth meeting of Group of Twenty (G20), which was held on 30 November and 1 December 2018 in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. It was the first G20 summit to be hosted in South America. Prepara ...

. The leaders discussed trade talks between South America's Mercosur and the Eurasian Economic Union. The president of Argentina stated that he would bring the trade blocs and regions closer together. In February 2019, the vice president of Argentina,

Gabriela Michetti Marta Gabriela Michetti Illia (; born 28 May 1965) is an Argentine politician and was Vice President of Argentina from 2015 to 2019 during Mauricio Macri's administration. Before her, the only woman to serve as vice president was Isabel Perón. ...

met with Armenian ambassador in Buenos Aires and reaffirmed both the EAEU and Mercosur would benefit from maximizing cooperation. As of 2021, negotiation of a free trade zone between Argentina and the Eurasian Union is on-going.

ASEAN

In November 2016, the

Secretariat and the Foreign Minister of Armenia held meetings in Jakarta. The Foreign Minister of Armenia stated that Armenia is keen on forging cooperative relations with ASEAN and its Member States, and would also push for region-to-region cooperation between ASEAN and the Eurasian Economic Union. The Secretary-General of ASEAN also exchanged views on the potentials for closer cooperation between ASEAN and the EAEU. In September 2019, during a trip to

, Prime Minister of Singapore

Lee Hsien Loong Lee Hsien Loong (; born 10 February 1952) is a Singaporean politician and former brigadier-general who has been serving as Prime Minister of Singapore and Secretary-General of the People's Action Party since 2004. He has been the Member of Par ...

stated that Singapore supports the creation of a free trade area comprising all Eurasian Union and ASEAN member states. The Prime Minister advised that the new Singapore-EAEU free trade deal which was recently finalized, could serve as a pathfinder for a future FTA between the EAEU and ASEAN.

Bangladesh

Officials in

Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...

are pushing for closer links with the Eurasian Union. The Ministry of Commerce of Bangladesh has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the EAEU in July 2016 and now the country is seeking to sign a free trade deal with the EAEU in order to get duty-free access to the Eurasian market of 183 million people.

Brazil

In May 2017, government officials of Belarus and

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

met in

to discuss the establishment and development of Brazil-EAEU relations. The parties discussed a wide range of issues from trade and economic investments, to the interaction between the Eurasian Economic Union and the South American Common Market (MERCOSUR).

Cambodia

In February 2017,

Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailan ...

signed an agreement with the Eurasian Union with the aims of expanding trade cooperation between the two sides. The EAEU controls imports and exports to a market of almost 183 million people and Cambodia is hoping to boost bilateral trade with EAEU member states. In September 2019, Cambodia launched negotiations to sign a free trade agreement with the EAEU during a meeting in Moscow.

Canada

In April 2015, the Canada-Russia-Eurasia Business Association stated that Canadian businesses are interested in cooperation with the Eurasian Economic Union. He said that the association would hold a seminar in

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple ...

on May 1 at which the ambassadors of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Armenia will speak. They will express their detailed view to the Canadian business community of the possible future cooperation between Canadian businesses and the EAEU.

Chile

Eurasian Union member-states and the Republic of

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...

are thrashing out the issue of potential formation of a free trade zone. The last meeting of the joint commission was held in 2017 in Chile and was attended by business representatives from the EAEU states presenting their potential. Another meeting of the joint commission will be held in 2019 as negotiations over a free trade zone are still ongoing.

China

In 2016, China, Russia and Mongolia officially signed plans to build an economic corridor. There is also steady progress with regard to synergizing the initiative with the Eurasian Economic Union and to deepen relations and cooperation between the Eurasian Union, China, and other

BRICS BRICS is an acronym for five leading emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The first four were initially grouped as "BRIC" (or "the BRICs") in 2001 by Goldman Sachs economist Jim O'Neill, who coined the ter ...

member states. On May 17, 2018, it was confirmed that China signed a trade and economic cooperation agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union in the Kazakh capital of Astana. On April 26, 2019, the leaders of China and Russia called their countries “good friends” and vowed to work together in pursuing greater economic integration of

Eurasia Eurasia (, ) is the largest continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. Primarily in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres, it spans from the British Isles and the Iberian Peninsula in the west to the Japanese archipelago ...

. On the sidelines of the Belt and Road Initiative Forum in

Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...

, Chinese leader

Xi Jinping Xi Jinping ( ; ; ; born 15 June 1953) is a Chinese politician who has served as the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), and thus as the paramount leader of China, ...

and Russian president

pledged to further strengthen economic and trade cooperation between the two sides. Vladimir Putin further stated that, "countries gathering under the Belt and Road Initiative and the EAEU share long-term strategic interests of peace and growth.” In June 2019, Xi and Putin stated they were committed to the concept of building the “Great Eurasian Partnership”.

Denmark

In 2018, the

Faroe Islands The Faroe Islands ( ), or simply the Faroes ( fo, Føroyar ; da, Færøerne ), are a North Atlantic island group and an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. They are located north-northwest of Scotland, and about halfway bet ...

, an autonomous region of

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...

, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the EEU. The MoU is designed to increase trade and cooperation between the two sides.

Ecuador

It is expected that

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ' ...

will sign a free trade deal with the EEU after a trade meeting was held between the Presidents of Ecuador and Belarus in the Ecuadorian capital Quito on February 12, 2015.

Egypt

In December 2016, the Presidents of Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia approved proposals on the need to start talks on creation of a free trade zone between the Eurasian Economic Union and

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Medit ...

. On December 26, 2016, the President of Egypt confirmed the importance that Egypt assigns to the creation of a free trade area with EEU. On November 18, 2018, Egypt and the Eurasian Union signed a framework document on the creation of a free trade agreement between the two sides in

Cairo Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the Capital city, capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, List of ...

. Egypt's Minister of Trade and Industry, Amr Nassar stressed on the necessity to complete negotiations on a free trade agreement between Egypt and the Union's countries in 2019. The first round of official negotiations began on January 15, 2019. The second round of negotiations were held in Moscow on April 24, 2019.

European Union

In January 2019, a senior official from Kazakhstan called for greater cooperation between the

Eurasian Economic Union The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU or EEU)EAEU is the acronym used on thorganisation's website However, many media outlets use the acronym EEU. is an economic union of some post-Soviet states located in Eurasia. The Treaty on the Eurasian Econo ...

and the

, ultimately aiming to create a single economic space from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The official stated that the EAEU is loosely modeled on the EU and that the EAEU had effectively become a common market with a population of more than 183 million people with growing trade turnovers between the members. In addition, the official said about 40 countries have officially expressed a desire to develop trade and economic cooperation with the EAEU. The official stated that the European Union and Eurasian Union's complementary economies and geographic proximity would allow them to create a free trade area stretching across

and that it would unlock powerful and unparalleled economic potential. However, he noted that this was a long-term goal as the EU's current relations with Russia, in particular, has deteriorated since the Annexation of Crimea. The spokesperson made clear that future relations between the two trade blocs depends on the deescalation of the situation in

Eastern Ukraine Eastern Ukraine or east Ukraine ( uk, Східна Україна, Skhidna Ukrayina; russian: Восточная Украина, Vostochnaya Ukraina) is primarily the territory of Ukraine east of the Dnipro (or Dnieper) river, particularly Khar ...

. In October 2019, during a meeting in Yerevan, President of

Igor Dodon stated that he supported the creation of a free trade zone between the EU and the Eurasian Union. The President advised that Moldova can act as a bridge between the EU, Eurasian Union, Balkan states and CIS members. In February 2020, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met with President of the German Bundestag, Wolfgang Schäuble. The development of cooperation and partnership between the Eurasian Union and the European Union was discussed, during a meeting in

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...

Greece

On 24 June 2017,

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders ...

and the Eurasian Union signed a joint statement of cooperation for expanding trade relations. A Greek-Eurasian Business Council was also established, which was the first of its kind between a European Union member state and the Eurasian Union. In November 2019, the President of Greece,

Prokopis Pavlopoulos Prokopios Pavlopoulos ( el, Προκόπιος Παυλόπουλος, ; born 10 July 1950), commonly shortened to Prokopis (Προκόπης), is a Greek lawyer, university professor and politician who served as the president of Greece from 2015 ...

met his Armenian counterpart in Yerevan. The Armenian President stated that Armenia can become a gateway for Greece to enter the Eurasian Union market.

India

In July 2016, negotiators from

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

and the Eurasian Union gathered to discuss next steps of a Free Trade Agreement. India aims to bolster commerce and investments with the Unions member states and hopes to complete the FTA by early 2017. In September 2019, during the

United Nations General Assembly The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA or GA; french: link=no, Assemblée générale, AG) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), serving as the main deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ of the UN. Curr ...

in New York, the Prime Minister of India

Narendra Modi Narendra Damodardas Modi (; born 17 September 1950) is an Indian politician serving as the 14th and current Prime Minister of India since 2014. Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014 and is the Member of Parliament fro ...

held a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister

Nikol Pashinyan Nikol Vovayi Pashinyan ( hy, Նիկոլ Վովայի Փաշինյան, ; born 1 June 1975) is an Armenian politician serving as the prime minister of Armenia since 8 May 2018. A journalist by profession, Pashinyan founded his own newspaper in ...

. Prime Minister Modi sought Armenia's support for finalizing negotiations on a free trade deal between India and the Eurasian Union. In return, Prime Minister Pashinyan affirmed Armenia's support to concluding a trade agreement with India soon. A free trade zone between India and the Eurasian Union is expected to be finalized in 2021.

Indonesia

In November 2016, Indonesian government officials explored the possibility of forging a Free Trade Agreement with the EAEU. The Trade Minister of

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

stated that his country would follow other ASEAN members like Vietnam and Singapore by establishing closer trade links and creating new economic opportunities with the Eurasian Union. The Minister hopes to begin talks during the next ASEAN-Russia Summit. On 14 February 2019, Indonesia and the Eurasian Union signed a memorandum of cooperation with the hopes of turning the memorandum into a free trade agreement after more in-depth talks between Indonesia and EEU member states.

Iran

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

has expressed interest in signing a trade agreement with the EEU. During a meeting between Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, they discussed the prospect of corporation between the customs union and Iran. According to the Iranian Ambassador based in Russia, Mehdi Sanaei, Iran is focusing on signing an agreement with the EEU in 2015 regarding mutual trade and reduction of import tariffs to central Asian countries and trading in national currencies as part of the agreement rather than in USD (US dollars). In December 2016, the Armenian President,

Serzh Sargsyan Serzh Azati Sargsyan ( hy, Սերժ Ազատի Սարգսյան, ; born 30 June 1954)Of ...

, stated that Armenia is actively supporting the process of negotiations between the Eurasian Economic Commission and Iran striving to sign a Free Trade Agreement as soon as possible. His proposition comes about a week after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's official visit to

, where discussion took place on the deepening of trade and economic relations between the EEU and Iran. In March 2017, the prime ministers of the EEU signed a directive ordering preparations for an agreement on forming a Free-trade zone with Iran, during a meeting in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek. According to Russia's Energy Minister Aleksandr Novak, the agreement could be finalised by May 2018. On May 17, 2018, it was confirmed that Iran has signed an agreement to enter a three-year provisional free trade agreement with the EEU, according to EEC official Tigran Sargsyan.

Israel

In October 2016, Russian Ambassador to Armenia Ivan Volynkin said that the signing of a trade deal between Russia and

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

, one similar to between Russia and Vietnam, was being discussed. Official negotiations with the EAEU were launched in Moscow in April 2018 and in October 2018, a second round of negotiations were held in

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

; where the parties had “a substantive discussion of the main sections of the draft agreement,” and noted that the third round of talks are set to take place in late February or early March 2019 in one of the EAEU member states. Early in 2019, both Russian and Israeli officials confirmed that negotiations towards Israel's signature of a free trade agreement with the EEU were nearing completion, pending one final round of talks. Negotiations of a free trade zone between Israel and the Eurasian Union may conclude in 2021.

Japan

The possibility of establishing a free trade zone between Japan and the Eurasian Union will be discussed in the nearest future, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a Russian-Japanese Business Dialogue meeting in December 2016.

Jordan

In September 2017,

Jordan Jordan ( ar, الأردن; tr. ' ), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,; tr. ' is a country in Western Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan Rive ...

and the Eurasian Union signed a memorandum of understanding to boost and diversify trade between Jordan the Eurasian Union in Amman. Meanwhile, Russian officials gave their support to establishing a free trade zone agreement with Jordan.

Lebanon

On 12 March 2018, Armenia discussed the potential for

Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to Lebanon–Syria border, the north and east and Israel to Blue ...

to access larger markets within the EAEU during a meeting between the Lebanese and Armenian Prime Ministers in

Beirut Beirut, french: Beyrouth is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint o ...

MERCOSUR

Mercosur is the South American trade bloc that unites Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela. In April 2016, the Eurasian Economic Commission held a working meeting between the Chairman of the Eurasian Economic Commission Tigran Sargsyan and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Argentine Republic. The parties discussed the developing relations between the Eurasian Union and

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...

as well as developing closer ties between the member states of

MERCOSUR The Southern Common Market, commonly known by Spanish abbreviation Mercosur, and Portuguese Mercosul, is a South American trade bloc established by the Treaty of Asunción in 1991 and Protocol of Ouro Preto in 1994. Its full members are Arge ...

and the EAEU. A draft memorandum of future cooperation on trade and economic issues had been sent to MERCOSUR for consideration. In December 2018, the presidents of Mercosur countries signed a Memorandum for Cooperation on trade and economic issues with the Eurasian Union during a meeting in Montevideo.

Mexico

Foreign Minister of

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

, Luis Videgaray Caso stated that Mexico considers a cooperation agreement between the Eurasian Union and the

Pacific Alliance The Pacific Alliance ( es, link=no, Alianza del Pacífico) is a Latin American trade bloc, formed by Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru, which all border the Pacific Ocean. The alliance was formed with the express purpose of improving regional in ...

, which unites Colombia, Chile and Peru, of high importance. He stated that he would hold discussions with Russia's Foreign Ministry on establishing relations between Mexico, the Pacific Alliance and the Eurasian Union.

Mongolia

In February 2017, the Prime Minister of Mongolia stated that bilateral relations have been dynamically developing and that Mongolia is prepared to establish a joint working group for establishing a Free Trade Agreement with the EAEU.

Morocco

Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria t ...

and the Eurasian Economic Commission signed September 28, 2017 in Rabat, an economic cooperation memorandum to strengthen relations between the two sides. "This memorandum on cooperation between Morocco and the EEC will make it possible to formalize relations between the two parties," Minister in charge of Integration and Macroeconomics at the EEC, Tatyana Valovaya, said following talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation,

Nasser Bourita Nasser Bourita ( ar, ناصر بوريطة; born ) is a Moroccan diplomat serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates since 5 April 2017. Education Bourita was born in Taounate, Morocco. In 1991, B ...

. Under the agreement, a joint group will be set up to discuss issues relating to economic cooperation between Morocco and the EEC, she added, noting that the Eurasian Economic Community, is a market of 180 million people. In his turn, Bourita said that the signing of this agreement is part of the diversification of partnerships between Morocco and regional groupings, in accordance with the high royal guidelines. Morocco, which has bilateral relations with the countries of the EEC, aims to increase its exports with this economic grouping, particularly in the agricultural sector, he stressed. The EEC had signed partnerships with other countries, which shows that it sees Morocco as a "credible partner and a gateway" to

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

and other regions with whom the Kingdom enjoys excellent relations, he said.

New Zealand

In August 2016, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held talks in Moscow with his counterpart from New Zealand. The formation of a free trade zone between

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

and the Eurasian Union meets the interests of New Zealand's producers and there is hope that this project will be brought to the table once again in the future.

Pakistan

In June 2017, Pakistan had accepted Russia's proposal to enter into a bilateral Free Trade Agreement. Russia also expressed support for Pakistan's possible future inclusion in the Eurasian Economic Union.

Peru

On 23 April 2016,

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...

and the Eurasian Union agreed to bolster trade exchanges during a meeting in

Lima Lima ( ; ), originally founded as Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of The Kings) is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín Rivers, in the desert zone of the central coastal part of ...

. The Eurasian Union also signed a memorandum of cooperation with the

of nations.

Philippines

In May 2016, Philippine Ambassador to Russia Carlos Sorreta responded positively to Russia's calls for tighter relations and economic links between the EEU and the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

. Some Russian analysts argue that the Philippines could be the key in Moscow's ambition to forge a free trade agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and the ASEAN bloc. This idea has gained positive feedback from Philippine policymakers.

Serbia

In November 2016, the Serbian Foreign Minister said

plans on signing an integrated agreement with the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union. The Minister added that Serbia is now planning to sign a common agreement which will be good for all members of the EAEU. In January 2019, Serbia began negotiations regarding the finalization of Serbia's Free Trade Agreement with the Eurasian Union. The trade ministers of Serbia and the Eurasian Union agreed on 6 June in Saint Petersburg that a free trade agreement between Serbia and the EAEU would be signed on 1 October 2019 in Sochi.

Singapore

In May 2016, Prime Minister of

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...

witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Singapore and the Eurasian Union. The move was aimed at bolstering economic ties and closer collaboration. The Prime Minister called the agreement a positive and concrete step towards deepening and widening engagement. On 24 January 2019, Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore

Tharman Shanmugaratnam Tharman Shanmugaratnam (Tamil: தர்மன் சண்முகரத்தினம்; born 25 February 1957) is a Singaporean politician and economist who has been serving as Senior Minister of Singapore since 2019 and has also been C ...

met with Armenian Prime Minister

during the

World Economic Forum The World Economic Forum (WEF) is an international non-governmental and lobbying organisation based in Cologny, canton of Geneva, Switzerland. It was founded on 24 January 1971 by German engineer and economist Klaus Schwab. The foundation, ...

in Davos, Switzerland and discussed the importance of finalizing a Free Trade Agreement between Singapore and the Eurasian Union in the coming year. On 2 October 2019, Singapore and the Eurasian Union finalized and signed a Free Trade Agreement in Yerevan. The Prime Minister of Singapore hailed the agreement as a success to free trade and

multilateralism In international relations, multilateralism refers to an alliance of multiple countries pursuing a common goal. Definitions Multilateralism, in the form of membership in international institutions, serves to bind powerful nations, discourage ...

. The Prime Minister also hoped that ASEAN and the Eurasian Union would sign a similar deal as both trade blocs together comprise 800 million people, which would unlock multiple opportunities and economic growth.

South Korea

In February 2017, the government of

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eas ...

announced that it will begin seeking Free Trade Agreements with entities like

and the Eurasian Economic Union as a way to boost economic growth and cooperation.

Thailand

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...

has confirmed its interest in creating a free trade zone with the Eurasian Economic Union. In July 2015, the Thai government was reportedly working on the final stages of an agreement. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev stated that the EEU was already holding talks with over 40 countries interested in establishing trade links. He added that Russia was also working on a possible future

currency union A currency union (also known as monetary union) is an intergovernmental agreement that involves two or more states sharing the same currency. These states may not necessarily have any further integration (such as an economic and monetary union, ...

with other members of the Eurasian Economic Union.

Tunisia

In August 2016, the Ambassador of

Tunisia ) , image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa , image_map2 = , capital = Tunis , largest_city = capital , ...

to Russia stated that Tunisia was prepared to sign a trade deal with the Eurasian Union to boost trade prospects. The Ambassador said much progress was made over the past year to create a special economic zone.

Vietnam

In October 2016, a Free Trade Agreement between the Eurasian Union and

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...

came into effect. This formal declaration signals the EEU's burgeoning interest to further economic ties with Asia-Pacific, in particular, with

members. The agreement will open Vietnam to a market of 183 million people.

and

are also reportedly in talks to deepen trade relations with the EEU.

References

{{Portal bar, Geography, Asia, Europe, Politics Eurasian Union Eurasian Economic Union

Past enlargement

Armenia

Support and opposition

Republic of Artsakh

Kyrgyzstan

Crimea

Potential future enlargement

Azerbaijan

Cuba

Georgia

Abkhazia

South Ossetia

Moldova

Transnistria

Mongolia

Serbia

Syria

Tajikistan

Turkey

Turkmenistan

Ukraine

Membership in the Customs Union

Observer status of the Customs Union

Signature of their Association Agreement with the EU

Luhansk People's Republic

Donetsk People's Republic

Uzbekistan

Free trade agreements

Andean Community

Argentina

ASEAN

Bangladesh

Brazil

Cambodia

Canada

Chile

China

Denmark

Ecuador

Egypt

European Union

Greece

India

Indonesia

Iran

Israel

Japan

Jordan

Lebanon

MERCOSUR

Mexico

Mongolia

Morocco

New Zealand

Pakistan

Peru

Philippines

Serbia

Singapore

South Korea

Thailand

Tunisia

Vietnam

See also

References