The other EU

When you hear about the EU, it is usually the European Union.  Now, there is a new EU on the horizon, the Eurasian Union.  This new EU was first proposed in 1994 and it includes most of the former Soviet Union. Vladimir Putin is driving this forward, all ready obtaining commitments from Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, and maybe Ukraine,

The current tug of war between the two EUs over Ukraine has brought this to light.

Many in the US State Department call the Eurasian Union a revived Soviet Union.  They may be right but the European Union has its own Soviet tendencies and Moscow may see the European Union attempt to take over Kiev as an "invasion". 

You have to remember that NATO, after the unification of Germany in 1990, promised not to expand eastward yet now Poland, Czechia, and Slovakia are in the alliance.  In 2004, NATO moved to Russia's border with the admission of the Baltic States.  The tug of war in Central Asia is not allying Russian paranoia and the crude attempt to unilaterally pull Georgia into NATO against direct and announced Russian displeasure resulted in a brief war in 2008.

Before people like Hillary Clinton start shouting about a revived Soviet Union, they need to look at their own conduct and see the reaction it leads to.  I am not saying Putin is a victim or innocent.  The conclusion that I am reaching is that neither EU is really the good guy and they resemble each other more than anyone wants to admit.