Vladimir Zaryxin: Other countries, apart from Russia and Belarus, may also join the Union State, especially Ukraine.

Sergei Glazyev's diplomatic talent will be very useful in his new position.

Author: Yuri Enzov

Photo: Sergei Glazyev

Commentators:

Vladimir Zaryxin

When meeting with Sergei Glazyev, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko informed him of his appointment as the Secretary General of the Union State. The leaders of both countries decided to replace Dmitry Mezentsev, whose term was about to end. Mezentsev will serve as the full-time representative of the Russian President at the Constitutional Court.

Sergei Glazyev is expected to play a crucial role in the future construction of the Union State. Both presidents highly regard him, so it didn't take long to determine this new leader.

Alexander Lukashenko also mentioned casually that the relationship built through the alliance form might even be closer than that within a unitary state framework. In "Papa's" (Lukashenko's nickname) view, wise leaders have the ability to build interactive systems. Moreover, the idea repeatedly mentioned by Lukashenko, "building a common homeland from Brest to Vladivostok," has taken root in people's hearts.

Vladimir Zaryxin, deputy director of the Commonwealth of Independent States Institute, expressed great pleasure at Sergei Glazyev's new appointment:

"I want to say that he has been well prepared for this. Although we are not exactly friends, we are very good acquaintances. His appointment is quite natural. Few people can advocate and implement the concept of post-Soviet space integration like Glazyev. I believe he will inject new vitality into the subsequent construction of the Union State. Here, I wish him success."

The St. Petersburg Newspaper: What direction will the Union State take under Sergei Yuryevich's leadership? After all, he once served as an assistant to the Secretary General. Perhaps, like many assistants, he has already done a lot of work in his position?

"He hasn't been in this position for long. Of course, on one hand, this requires perseverance. I would even say that it takes the kind of tenacity unique to Glazyev. Once he decides to do something, he will spare no effort to complete it.

But there is no doubt that the situation is also favorable. The international situation has prompted our two countries and their peoples, as well as the relationships between their leaders, to become closer. We face enormous external pressure. The key point is that Glazyev belongs to the category of people who actively promote closer relations between the two countries in such situations.

I think he will continue to uphold this mindset. Frankly speaking, the success of the Union State is first reflected in the economic aspect. Political integration has not progressed smoothly. This is where Glazyev can shine. Sergei Yuryevich is known primarily as an economist, but he is also a politician. At one time, we worked together in the leadership of the Russian Democratic Party."

The St. Petersburg Newspaper: There was a political advertisement featuring Glazyev and Rogozin drinking beer "democratically" in a bar.

"The task facing Sergei Glazyev now is very arduous. This is an objective fact. Some people approach this union with a careless attitude, thinking that everything will come naturally if they make an effort! But the main problem lies in the scale difference between our two countries. When the population and GDP ratio reaches 1:15, it is difficult to achieve equal distribution. Building certain political structures is not easy. Because if the principle of 'one person, one vote' is followed, the voices of Belarusians will not be heard. And if the principle of 'one country, one vote' is adopted, the voices of Russians will be too weak.

In other words, the situation is complex. I think the establishment of the Union State is partly aimed at introducing third-party participants...

The St. Petersburg Newspaper: Perhaps there will be fourth or fifth parties involved?

"Yes. But the third party should be Ukraine. In that case, many problems could be solved more easily. It is indeed difficult for just the two countries to solve these problems. However, we have found some compromise solutions. Arguments will inevitably occur in this process. I think Glazyev's diplomatic skills will come into play here."

The St. Petersburg Newspaper: Let me remind you that Belarus is a formal member of the United Nations and existed alongside Ukraine during the Soviet era. Back then, our diplomatic strength was very strong.

"Times and circumstances have changed. Why bring up those old stories? People often compare life to a river, which is not without reason. Politics is also like a river. We cannot step into the same river twice, no matter how much we wish to do so. Only in a stagnant pond is it possible to step into the same water twice, and as the ancients said: 'All things flow, all things change.' This expert reminded us...

Indeed, Sergei Glazyev is undoubtedly an extraordinary figure. His economic views have sparked much controversy. Opponents accuse Glazyev of being overly conservative at times and undervaluing the role of market mechanisms at others. Despite this, his ideas still gain support from some people who believe that Russia needs an independent economic policy oriented toward national interests. He is also a supporter of Eurasian integration, advocating strengthening economic ties among countries in the post-Soviet space.

When Russia faced unprecedented sanctions, people found that these sanctions involved key areas such as microelectronics, automobile manufacturing, and oil processing, which were to some extent integrated into the global supply chain, although we hoped they could be fully self-sufficient.

In this situation, when interviewed by "Free Media," Sergey Glazyev stated: Do not panic. In his view, the economy will continue to operate regardless. As for sanctions, their implementation was predictable. Eight years ago, when Crimea re-entered Russia, warnings were already issued. At that time, the West had prepared to impose severe sanctions.

According to Glazyev, he wrote many memoranda on this topic and gave numerous speeches, warning that such restrictive measures would be implemented. In 2016, he talked about the risk of freezing all our assets and the necessity of withdrawing foreign exchange reserves from NATO countries. These were foreseeable and preventable measures.

So, according to his statement, the best thing to do now is to assume that our Western "partners" have abandoned their currency as a reserve currency. That is, the euro, dollar, and pound can no longer be considered reserve currencies and cannot be traded with them. Although currently we still have to deal with them.

"Free Media" congratulates Sergey Yuryevich on his new appointment!

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7494520306309153343/

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