Alexei Overchuk at the National Centre RUSSIA: Eurasian integration directly affects the well-being of Russians

Eurasian integration is not an abstract foreign policy issue, but a tool that directly affects the well-being of Russian citizens. By building Greater Eurasia through trade and economic mechanisms, Russia and its EAEU partners are creating conditions to increase the competitiveness of Russian products, expand sales markets and strengthen shared values. The Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Alexei Overchuk, discussed this on 28 August at the National Centre RUSSIA as part of the project "What Does the Motherland Begin With?".

"Two major themes are being discussed here today: 'Motherland Is People' and 'Building Greater Eurasia'. The challenge is to explain how these areas are interconnected. Countries and economies do not exist in isolation from one another, and the global market continues to operate. Yes, processes of fragmentation and the formation of macro-regions are under way, but competition is becoming increasingly complex. The future well-being of our citizens depends directly on participation in international trade and the ability of Russian companies to enter foreign markets. Everyone wants access to a good education, well-developed infrastructure and high-quality goods. This requires joint efforts, including the creation of a Greater Eurasian space," noted Alexei Overchuk. 

Photo: Press Office of the National Centre RUSSIA

During his address, the Deputy Prime Minister highlighted the growth of investment in science, research and development, as well as in the creation of Russian technologies and manufacturing facilities. He cited the development of the Russian aircraft industry, including the MC-21, Il-114-300 and the new Sukhoi Superjet with imported components replaced by Russian-made alternatives, as well as the emergence of new Russian metalworking machines and medical and pharmaceutical technologies. However, Alexei Overchuk emphasised that sustainable demand for Russian products must be created if these investments and developments are to deliver results.

"This is the only way to achieve a return on investment and scale up production to make it profitable and sustainable. This brings us to integration and Greater Eurasia, which enables us to expand our opportunities and markets, primarily through the development of integration processes. We are referring to the Union State of Russia and the Republic of Belarus, the Eurasian Economic Union, the CIS and a broader free trade area. Together, these mechanisms enable us to adopt a flexible approach to different partners and provide our manufacturers with additional opportunities in various markets," explained the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. 

Photo: Press Office of the National Centre RUSSIA

The Deputy Prime Minister added that Russia's ambition to remain competitive and manufacture products with high added value requires access to larger markets and reductions in tariff and non-tariff barriers, particularly in transport and logistics, as such barriers directly affect production costs and product competitiveness. According to him, the Government of Russia is focusing on developing transport and logistics links in response to growing demand on eastern routes. He discussed improvements to port infrastructure and the development of the "North — South" Corridor, including its western route through Iran and the Rasht — Astara section, which already provides a rail link from Saint Petersburg to Bandar Abbas. He also discussed the development of the Caspian and eastern sections of the corridor, the launch of container services to Iran through Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, and talks with Pakistan on the possibility of establishing a rail link. 

Photo: Press Office of the National Centre RUSSIA

Alexei Overchuk noted the importance of the cultural and humanitarian dimension of Greater Eurasia and highlighted the role of the Russian language in preserving cultural ties and shared values. He said that interest in the language is growing abroad and that Russia supports its study through educational programmes.

"When we discuss the common labour market of the Eurasian Economic Union, we are talking about the closeness of our cultures and values. This raises the question of a common language. We are actually very fortunate to have one, and that language is Russian. We devote considerable attention to supporting it and expanding its use abroad. Language is, of course, a means of communication: it is always easier when your business partner speaks your language. We live in independent countries, but Russian continues to be spoken there, and we are seeing growing interest in it and a desire to learn it. We regularly receive requests from the leaders of these countries to send teachers, provide assistance with textbooks and share successful practices from our education system. And that is what we do."

Prominent examples of this work include the preparation of educational materials and the development of education projects in partner countries. These include the "Russian Teacher Abroad" programme, the "Class" programme in Uzbekistan and the International Organisation for the Russian Language in Kazakhstan, as well as the construction of schools and the creation of modern campuses in Kyrgyzstan. 

Photo: Press Office of the National Centre RUSSIA

The event was also attended by the Member of the Board and Minister in Charge of Trade of the Eurasian Economic Commission, Andrei Slepnev; the Head of the Federal Accreditation Service, Dmitry Volvach; the Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of the Eurasian Development Bank, Tigran Sargsyan; MGIMO University Professor Andrei Bezrukov; and the Editor-in-Chief of the journal "Russia in Global Affairs", Fyodor Lukyanov. He discussed the geopolitical aspects of Eurasian integration: how it affects countries' positions in the world and which challenges must be overcome.

"Eurasia's strength, in my view, lies in the fact that it is an enormous and entirely self-sufficient territory. Everyone in the world needs it, whereas, broadly speaking, it does not need anyone else. In other words, by working collectively, we are capable of achieving anything. This conviction that we can handle absolutely anything will certainly not be lost. And we genuinely need nothing else," noted the speaker. 

Photo: Press Office of the National Centre RUSSIA

According to him, Eurasia is not an enclosed space, but a major independent centre open to cooperation with other countries. Fyodor Lukyanov is confident that even as the world changes, Eurasia's internal potential is sufficient for its continued development.

"Motherland Is People" is part of the National Centre RUSSIA's original project "What Does the Motherland Begin With?". The series consists of several stages involving members of the Government of the Russian Federation, heads of federal executive bodies, heads of Russian regions and opinion leaders. The project is being implemented with the support of the Government of the Russian Federation during the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia, declared by the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin.