Putin Creates Eurasian Economic Union

Vladimir Putin has finally realized his dream of a Eurasian economic trade pact. The only problem is that it is made up of just three countries—Russia, Kazakhstan, and Belarus. On Thursday, the presidents of the three nations signed an agreement to create an economic union. The glaring omission from the new trade union is Ukraine, which did not join and would have enhanced the strength of the group. “Today we are creating a powerful, attractive center of economic development, a big regional market that unites more than 170 million people,” Putin said. However, considering Putin wanted an eastern version of the 28-member European Union, it’s a bit of a joke. Plus, just before signing, Belarus got a $2 billion loan and energy concessions from Russia.