This article provides a scientific analysis of contemporary integration groupings as a key element of the institutionalized system of international relations. It examines integration as a gradual process of deepening interstate cooperation and highlights the enduring relevance of classical integration theories in explaining modern regional dynamics. Particular attention is paid to major integration models, including the European Union, ASEAN, Latin American, African, and BRICS frameworks, emphasizing their institutional diversity and functional differences. The study demonstrates that no universal model of integration exists and that integration trajectories are shaped by political, economic, and historical factors. The article concludes that modern integration is increasingly characterized by hybrid and differentiated forms of cooperation, reflecting the conditions of multipolarity and geopolitical competition.

international integration, regional organizations, institutionalization, European Union, ASEAN, BRICS, regionalism, global governance.

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