Межрегиональное и трансграничное сотрудничество на пространстве Союзного государства Беларуси и России: проблемы и возможности

Abstract

Introduction: the large growth potential of integration attractiveness of the Union State of Belarus and Russia lies in the improvement of interregional and cross-border cooperation, which can create new prospects for dynamic development and influence on the world market as well as improve the geopolitical situation on the external borders of the Union State. Objectives: verification of the problem field and tools for improving interregional and cross-border interaction in the space of the Union State of Belarus and Russia. Methods: cognitive mapping, expert survey, comparison. Results: the study has revealed the discordance in the Russian and Belarus political elites’ preferences, the lack of their attention to the problems of interregional and cross-border cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus, an ambiguous vision of Russian-Belarusian relations by experts. Among the methods and technologies for improving the interregional and cross-border interaction between Russia and Belarus, experts highlight, first of all, the development of the border areas infrastructure. Conclusions: the discourse on interregional and cross-border cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus manifests certain problems of an internal, external and interstate nature. At the same time,the political elites and the expert community of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus do not see the sphere of integration interaction and connection with the Union State level as priorities. The influence of the Union State on the improvement of interregional and cross-border cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus is underestimated. Consolidated interaction of political elites and expert community of the two countries is needed, which will make it possible to form an effective strategy for the development of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus on the way to bilateral integration.