Role of Regional Initiatives in Transition from Unipolarity to Multipolarity System: The Case of Greater Eurasia Plan

The structure of the current international system results from dissolution of the Soviet Union and termination of bipolar order. The main feature of this system is uneven distribution of power. Such structure, known as unipolar order, has increased the competition among the international system’s main actors for filling the power vacuum. Some believe that such tensions could prepare the ground for the international system’s transition to multipolar order. The reasoning behind the conclusion is weakness of the United States of America, emergence of new powers, and formation of new poles within the framework of regional initiatives. The latest example of such bloc of non-Western powers is the Greater Eurasia plan, pursued by Russia after the Ukraine crisis. The idea of “Great Eurasia” refers to an area stretching from Lisbon to Shanghai. However, this is a geopolitical innovation, political slogan, economic ambition, and ideological structure. Most importantly, it seeks to create a modern and post-American order with Russia playing the vital role. Considering that issue, the main question of the article is “what role and function could the regional initiatives, such as the Greater Eurasia, play in the current international system’s transition to multipolar order?” The authors believe that considering the power imbalance in the international system and the constant efforts by the actors to make up for it, the regional initiatives are an innovative instrument for decentralization of power in the international system and perform two main functions. Firstly, they prevent direct confrontation between the main actors of the international system (Sino-Russian cooperation under this initiative to avert direct confrontation with the US), and, secondly, they help formation of multipolar order by presenting substitute regulations (Russian efforts to change norms of liberal order). Due to the complexities of relations between the actors in such sets, the pace of transition would be slow, but, if materialized, they could have a leading role in the creation of a perfect multipolar order in the long term. The article is based on descriptive-analytical research method.