Russian leaders continue to press for the establishment of a "United Economic Space (UES)," comprising Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine. According to Moscow’s vision, this core group of former Soviet republics would rely on the Russian ruble to facilitate trade and continued development. The other potential UES participants, however, do not share Russia’s enthusiasm for the project.
Moscow appears to hold out hope that a UES framework agreement could be signed at the next CIS summit, due to be held in Yalta, Ukraine, on September 19. "It seems to me that the current blueprint is mutually acceptable as it fits the interests of all four states," the official RIA news agency quoted Russian President Vladimir Putin as saying after a September 2 meeting with Ukrainian leader Leonid Kuchma.
http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/business/articles/eav090903.shtml
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