This article considers the positives of, and challenges facing, Eurasian economic integration. The EEU has begun in a challenging economic context, with a global recession, low global energy prices and Western sanctions on Russia. Nonetheless, the project continues to move ahead and is seeking to overcome such challenges. It is argued that the EEU has a fair chance of succeeding in the long-term, but will have to travel a difficult uphill road to do so. T he future of the Eurasian economic

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... ration project-which started in 2010 when the Customs Union (CU) between Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus was established and then moved into its next stage by establishing the Eurasian Economic Union in January 2015-is now the subject of active debate between its supporters and critics, both at home and abroad. This debate has been provoked by various impediments that have accompanied the implementation of this project from its very start, but which have become particularly acute in the last couple of years. The arguments voiced in favor and against the sustainability of this project are equally polemic and divisive. To escape simplistic answers, it is necessary to conduct a multi-dimensional evaluation of the Eurasian economic project, which takes into account all the various relevant factors and tendencies: not only economic considerations, but also political and social factors.