DUSHANBE, May 29, 2014, Asia-Plus – Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Astana, Kazakhstan to sign an accord on transforming tripartite customs union of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia into the Eurasian Economic Union (EES) by January 2015.

Russia’s Itar-Tass reports that a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council will take place in Astana today and President Vladimir Putin of Russia, President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus and President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan will discuss opportunities of the creation of the Eurasian Economic Union, which can grow broader as Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan want to join it.

Putin, Lukashenko and Nazarbayev are expected to sign a treaty on the creation of the Eurasian Economic Union.  Their accord would formally create a territory for unified customs tariffs beginning on January 1, 2015.

Armenia and Kyrgyzstan are pushing forward with road maps to join the union.

Meanwhile Radio Liberty reports that in the wake of the Ukraine crisis, which has demonstrated Moscow''s readiness to intervene in the internal affairs of its neighbors, there is increasing apprehension as the signing approaches. According to Radio Liberty, that apprehension was already apparent when the three customs union heads of government met in Minsk last month.