№15: Strategic Vacuum in Central Asia—a Case for European Engagement?
№15: Strategic Vacuum in Central Asia—a Case for European Engagement?

Author(s): Tomasz Sikorski
Subject(s): Governance, International relations/trade, Geopolitics
Published by: PISM Polski Instytut Spraw Międzynarodowych
Keywords: Central Asia; European Union; People’s Republic of China; geopolitics; political powers;
Summary/Abstract: An interesting phenomenon in Central Asia—Halford Mackinder’s pivotal area of the heartland—can be observed. The great political powers, when it comes to action in the region, seem to lack power at all. The U.S. assigns all its attention to the war in Afghanistan. Russia, painfully hit by the economic crisis, recognises that it is terribly difficult to rebuild its erstwhile zone of influence. Also China is not warmly welcomed in the region. What is then left? It seems that in the foreseeable future Central Asia is not going to be a scene of the so-called New Great Game. On the contrary, the region will be somewhat abandoned by the main political powers. The purpose of this paper is to prove the abandonment thesis, predict what is going to happen and propose recommendations for the European Union to act effectively in the new situation.

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