The Crisis of the Union State of Belarus and Russia

The article is devoted to the analysis of the current crisis phase in the evolution of the Union State of Belarus and Russia. The author identifies the main problems and obstacles in the dialogue between the two countries on the development of the integration project, defines the stages of the crisis phenomena extension, evaluates scenarios for overcoming the crisis. The article points to the mistakes made by the founders of the Union State during formation of the project in the early 21st century, which eventually began to appear after the Union crises of 2008 and 2014. According to the author, the main causes of the current crisis are the substitution of economic and political integration between Russia and Belarus by the balance of interests of the two neighboring countries. However, the latter did not guarantee the development of the integration project. Over the years of the Union State’s existence, Russia’s extensive financial and resource support has become an indicator of the lack of real economic integration. As a result, Russian subsidies have replaced the union of the two economies. In turn, in the second decade of the 21st century, Minsk’s avoidance of participation in the solution of Moscow’s strategic military objectives and the absence of a single Union foreign policy have broken the balance of interests between the countries in the Union State. The Union State has lost its foundation. Russia’s desire to reformat allied relations between its founders implies a revival of real economic integration. However, the Belarusian leadership does not want to change the existing subsidized system of relations within the Union State. According to the author, the crisis between Russia and Belarus is striving for its climax.