The Impact of Russian-led Eurasian Integration on the International Relations of the Post-Soviet Space

This article examines how variations in the degree of integration with the Russian Federation influence relations among post-Soviet states. Eurasian integration has been a significant priority of Russian foreign policy in the Putin era; the Russian Federation serves as the regional hegemon for Eurasian integration. Hegemonic stability theory suggests that hegemonic states reduce uncertainty and provide increased opportunities for cooperation among those states operating within the international systems they manage. To what extent is this true for the states involved in Russian-led Eurasian integration? Using treaty data between 1992 and 2005 to capture the extent of integrative ties with Russia, this article examines the impact of Russian-led integration on the level of cooperation among post-Soviet states. The results of this analysis indicate that Russian hegemony influences regional political alignment, expressed in roll-call voting within the UN framework.