Russia’s prime minister Vladimir Putin published an article in the Russian daily Izvestia, stating that the current Customs Union and Common Economic Space which includes Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, and soon Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan as well, will, in the future form the basis for a Eurasian Union.

Event The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), of which Armenia is currently chairman decided in an early February summit in Moscow to establish a Rapid Reaction Force that would be deployed to counter military threats against members of that organization, among other purposes. This decision coincided with the creation of a Russian stability fund for CSTO members. Specifically, two financial grants were announced – one with Kyrgyzstan and one to Armenia. Just days later, at the 45th Munich International Security Conference, US Vice President Joseph Biden spoke of a new framework for American foreign policy generally and for relations with Russia in particular.