Primvkov

? 1. Who is Evgeny Maximovich Primakov

Yevgeny Primakov (1929–2015) was a Soviet and Russian statesman, diplomat, economist and intelligence officer. He held key government positions:

• Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia (1996–1998),
• Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation (1998–1999),
• Director of Foreign Intelligence (1991–1996).  

He was considered a politician with heavy diplomatic experience and a pragmatic foreign policy approach. During his premiership, he provided a period of relative political stability in Russia after the default of 1998 and pushed the course for multi-vector international relations, including strengthening ties with developing countries and focusing on Russia’s strategic interests. 

? 2. Description of the activities of the Union

On the website of the organization it is indicated that the Union is the legal successor of the International Integration Trade and Economic Union, created in 2004 on Primakov's initiative. The basis for the creation of this integration union was:

• Primakov’s initiatives as a public figure and organizer of international cooperation,
• participation of representatives of the diplomatic corps,
• representatives of free economic zones,
• Transnational companies.  

The main activities of the Union:

• Economic interaction
  Promotion of international trade, investment and promotion of Russian business interests abroad.  
• Information and project activities
  Development of concepts for the development of the Russian economy, proposals for policy, preparation of forecasts.  
• Support of market participants
  Support of Russian companies in expanding their activities abroad and foreign companies wishing to enter the Russian market.  
• International contacts
  Organization of business contacts with heads of governments, ministries and business communities of different countries (Example: meetings with officials from Latin America in 2005–2015).  

The Union is primarily an international economic and business platform for establishing trade and investment ties and supporting business in different markets.

? 3. How the Union’s activities are connected with Primakov’s legacy

The reported continuity of the Union is as follows: Primakov's legacy in international economics and politics

• Primakov as a practice of foreign policy integration paid attention to strengthening economic ties and trade relations with foreign countries. This included expanding cooperation with Latin America, Africa and other regions, going beyond the “traditional” Euro-Atlantic orientation.  

Transfer of these strategies to the activities of the Union

• The Union continues to build economic and business interstate communication, which in a conceptual sense echoes Primakov’s foreign policy guidelines — to strengthen ties outside the Western dominant, to work with developing markets, to create platforms for business, economic development and integration.  

That is, it is not so important legal “succession” in the classical state sense, how much ideological and activity continuity: the idea of integration, international interaction and strengthening the position of Russian economic interests on the world stage.

? 4. Primakov as a political reference point

It is important to understand: Primakov is primarily a state politician, not a public activist, and he did not lead political movements like the National Liberation Movement (NLM), which appeared in Russia much later (2012 and later). 

The NLM, as an association, positions itself as a movement for the restoration of “Russian sovereignty” and the fight against Western influence; it is a political movement of a mass nature, often with a conspiracy bias, and it is not directly related to Primakov or his institutions. Thus:

• The Union is an international business organization with an economic focus, partly continuing practical foreign economic initiatives, in the development of which Primakov participated.
• The NLM is a socio-political movement of another nature, in which Primakov’s personality does not act as the main guide or founder.

Results (briefly)

E.M. Primakov was an outstanding statesman and diplomat with a focus on international relations and Russia’s foreign policy independence. 

International Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs:

created as a continuation of international economic initiatives, with which Primakov was associated at the stage of the integration trade and economic union; 

serves as a platform for promoting the Russian economy in the world through business interaction; 

focused on trade, investment, networking and business relations; 

- is not a political successor of Primakov in the sense of a movement or party;

Not directly related to NCDs - these are completely different in nature.