Russian-Ukrainian Relations in the Contemporary Eurasian Context: Geo-Economic Aspect

The article analyzes the evolution trend of economic ties between Russia and Ukraine over the past quarter century. It is shown that bilateral Russian-Ukrainian relations are experiencing degradation and disaggregation, lose their “exclusivity” due to diminishing “USSR inertia”, globalization and the influence of leading “power centers”. The new round of geopolitical and geo-economic “redistribution” of the Eurasian space (initiated by the increasing influence of China and the overall “flow” of the economic and demographic potential to the South-East of Eurasia) became the significant challenge for economic cooperation between Russia and Ukraine. The crisis in Russian-Ukrainian relations, unfolding in this context, significantly limits the development opportunities for the both countries, leads to the increase of peripheral traits in their economies, and multiplies dependence on global economic and political actors.