 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Foreign relations of Russia" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(April 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
 |
|---|
Theforeign relations of the Russian Federation is the policy arm of thegovernment ofRussia which guides its interactions with other nations, their citizens, and foreign organizations. This article covers the foreign policy of theRussian Federation since the dissolution of theSoviet Union in late 1991. At present, Russia has no diplomatic relations with Ukraine due to itsongoing invasion of Ukraine. Other than Ukraine, Russia also has no diplomatic relations withGeorgia,Bhutan, theFederated States of Micronesia orSolomon Islands.
Kremlin's foreign policy debates show a conflict among three rival schools:Atlanticists, seeking a closer relationship with theUnited States and theWestern World in general;Imperialists, seeking a recovery of the semi-hegemonic status lost during the previous decade; andNeo-Slavophiles, promoting the isolation of Russia within its own cultural sphere. While Atlanticism was the dominant ideology during the first years of the new Russian Federation, underAndrei Kozyrev, it came under attack for its failure to defend Russian pre-eminence in the formerUSSR. The promotion ofYevgeny Primakov to Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1996 marked the beginning of a more nationalistic approach to foreign policy.[5]: 33–69
Another major trend has beenEurasianism, a school of thought that emerged during the early 20th century. Eurasianists assert that Russia is composed ofSlavic,Turkic andAsiatic cultures and equatesLiberalism withEurocentricimperialism. One of the earliest ideologues of Eurasianism was the Russian historianNikolai Trubetzkoy, who denounced theEurophilicCzar Peter I and advocated Russian embracal of the Asiatic "legacy ofChinggis Khan" to establish atrans-continental Eurasian state. Following thecollapse of Soviet Union, Eurasianism gained public ascendency through the writings of philosopherAleksandr Dugin and has become the official ideological policy under the government ofVladimir Putin.[a]
Vladimir Putin held the presidency from January 2000 to May 2008, and again from May 2012 to the present. Under Putin, Russia has engaged in several notable conflicts, including against the neighboring country ofUkraine. He recognized the independence ofDonetsk andLuhansk within that country. Relations with the United States in particular have sharply deteriorated between 2001 and 2022, with the Kremlin blaming U.S. involvement in the Middle East and countries bordering Russia. Relations with theEuropean Union became hostile after Russia's2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.
On February 24, 2022, Russia launched aninvasion of Ukraine, prompting the imposition of substantialeconomic and political sanctions by the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Japan, and other countries. The Russian government now has a specified "Unfriendly Countries List" which indicates those countries with which relations are now strained (or non-existent). Despite deteriorating relations with theWestern world since the invasion of Ukraine, Russia still maintains support and strong relations with some countries, such asChina,[10]India,Belarus,Iran,[10]Cuba,[10]Venezuela,[10]Nicaragua,[10]North Korea,[10]Myanmar,[10]Eritrea,[10]Mali,[10]Central African Republic,[11]Zimbabwe,[11]Burkina Faso,[12]Burundi,[13]Iraq,Libya,Palestine, andNiger.[14] Russia also has strong support from theHouthis inYemen.[15]
Russia also maintains positive relations with countries that have been described as "Russia-leaning" according toThe Economist. These countries includeAlgeria,Afghanistan,[16]Kazakhstan,Kyrgyzstan,[17]Tajikistan,Pakistan,Ethiopia,Sudan, andUganda.[18] Russia also maintains positive relations with countries considered neutral on the world stage such asBrazil,[19]Honduras,Bangladesh,India,Turkmenistan andUzbekistan. With countries traditionally considered Western aligned, Russia maintains positive relations withHungary,[20]Serbia,[21]Slovakia,[22]Azerbaijan,Turkey,[20]Bahrain,[23]Kuwait,[23]Oman,[23]Qatar,[20]Saudi Arabia,[24]Egypt,[25]Jordan,Morocco,Armenia and theUnited Arab Emirates.[24]
In international affairs, Putin had made increasingly critical public statements regarding theforeign policy of the United States and other Western countries. In February 2007, at the annualMunich Conference on Security Policy, he criticized what he called the U.S. monopolistic dominance in global relations and claimed that the U.S. displayed an "almost unconstrained hyper use of force in international relations." He said the result of it is that "no one feels safe! Because no one can feel thatinternational law is like a stone wall that will protect them. Of course such a policy stimulates an arms race."[26][27]
_01.jpg)
Putin proposed initiatives such as establishing international centers for theenrichment of uranium and prevention of deployingweapons in outer space.[26] In a January 2007 interview, Putin stated that Russia is in favor of a democratic multipolar world and of strengthening the system of international law.[28]
Putin is often characterized as anautocrat by the Western media and politicians.[29][30] His relationship with former U.S. PresidentGeorge W. Bush, former and current Brazilian PresidentLuiz Inácio Lula da Silva, former Venezuelan PresidentHugo Chávez, former GermanChancellorGerhard Schröder, former French PresidentJacques Chirac, and former Italian Prime MinisterSilvio Berlusconi are reported to be personally friendly. Putin's relationship with Germany's former Chancellor,Angela Merkel, is reported to be "cooler" and "more business-like" than his partnership with Gerhard Schröder, who accepted a job with a Russian-led consortium after leaving office.[31]
_05.jpg)
During theIraq disarmament crisis in 2002–2003, Putin opposed Washington's move to invadeIraq, without the benefit of aUnited Nations Security Council resolution explicitly authorizing the use of military force. After the official end of the war was announced, U.S. PresidentGeorge W. Bush asked the United Nations to lift sanctions on Iraq. Putin supported lifting of the sanctions in due course, arguing that the UN commission first be given a chance to complete its work on the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.[citation needed]
During the2004 Ukrainian presidential election, Putin twice visited Ukraine before the election to show his support for Ukrainian Prime MinisterViktor Yanukovych, who was widely seen as a pro-Kremlin candidate, and he congratulated him on his anticipated victory before official election results had even been released.[32][33] Putin's personal support for Yanukovych was criticized as unwarranted interference in the affairs of a sovereign state (See alsoThe Orange revolution). Crises also developed in Russia's relations withGeorgia andMoldova, both former Soviet republics accusing Moscow of supporting separatist entities in their territories (i.e.,Abkhazia,South Ossetia, andTransnistria.)
In 2005, Putin and former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder negotiated the construction of amajor gas pipeline over the Baltic exclusively between Russia and Germany. Schröder also attended Putin's 53rd birthday celebration in Saint Petersburg the same year.[34]
The end of 2006 brought strained relations between Russia and Britain, in the wake of the death ofa former FSB officer in London by poisoning. On July 20, 2007,UK Prime MinisterGordon Brown expelled "four Russian envoys over Putin's refusal to extradite ex-KGB agentAndrei Lugovoi, wanted in the UK for the murder of fellow former spyAlexander Litvinenko in London."[35] The Russian constitution prohibits the extradition of Russian nationals to third countries. British Foreign SecretaryDavid Miliband said that "this situation is not unique, and other countries have amended their constitutions, for example, to give effect to the European Arrest Warrant."[36]
When Litvinenko was dying from radiation poisoning, he accused Putin of directing the assassination, in a statement which was released shortly after his death by his friendAlex Goldfarb.[37] Critics have doubted that Litvinenko is the true author of the released statement.[38][39] When asked about the Litvinenko accusations, Putin said that a statement released posthumously of its author "naturally deserves no comment."[40]
The expulsions were seen as "the biggest rift since the countries expelled each other's diplomats in 1996 after a spying dispute."[35] In response to the situation, Putin stated, "I think we will overcome this mini-crisis. Russian-British relations will develop normally. On both the Russian side and the British side, we are interested in the development of those relations."[35] Despite this, British AmbassadorTony Brenton was told by the Russian Foreign Ministry that UK diplomats would be given 10 days before they were expelled in response. The Russian government also announced that it would suspend issuing visas to UK officials, and froze cooperation on counterterrorism, in response to Britain suspending contacts with their Federal Security Service.[35]
Alexander Shokhin, president of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, warned that British investors in Russia will "face greater scrutiny from tax and regulatory authorities. They could also lose out in government tenders."[35] Some see the crisis as originating with Britain's decision to grant Putin's former patron, Russian billionaireBoris Berezovsky, political asylum in 2003.[35] Earlier in 2007, Berezovsky had called for the overthrow of Putin.[35]
.jpg)
Putin took an active personal part in promoting theAct of Canonical Communion with the Moscow Patriarchate signed in May 2007, which restored relations between the Moscow-basedRussian Orthodox Church andRussian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR) after the 80-yearschism.[41]
TheCommonwealth of Independent States (CIS), seen in Moscow as its traditional sphere of influence, became one of Putin's foreign policy priorities, as the EU andNATO have grown to encompass much of Central Europe and, more recently, theBaltic states.[citation needed]
On April 26, 2007, in his annual address to the Federal Assembly, Putin announced plans to declare a moratorium on the observance of theTreaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe by Russia until all NATO members ratified it and started observing its provisions, as Russia had been doing on a unilateral basis.[42] Putin argues that as new NATO members have not even signed the treaty so far, an imbalance in the presence of NATO and Russian armed forces in Europe creates a real threat and an unpredictable situation for Russia.[42] NATO members said they would refuse to ratify the treaty until Russia complied with its 1999 commitments made in Istanbul, whereby Russia should remove troops and military equipment fromMoldova andGeorgia. Russian Foreign Minister,Sergey Lavrov, was quoted as saying in response that "Russia has long since fulfilled all its Istanbul obligations relevant to CFE."[43]
On December 11, 2007, Russia suspended its participation in theCFE.[44][45] On December 12, 2007, the United States officially stated that it "deeply regretted the Russian Federation's decision to 'suspend' implementation of its obligations under the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE)." State Department spokesmanSean McCormack added in a written statement that "Russia's conventional forces are the largest on the European continent, and its unilateral action damages this successful arms control regime."[46] NATO's primary concern arising from Russia's suspension is that Moscow could now accelerate its military presence in theNorthern Caucasus.[47]
_01.jpg)
.jpg)
The months following Putin'sMunich speech[26] were marked by tension and a surge in rhetoric on both sides of the Atlantic. As a result, Vladimir Putin stated at the anniversary of the Victory Day, "these threats are not becoming fewer, but are only transforming and changing their appearance. These new threats, just as under the Third Reich, show the same contempt for human life, and the same aspiration to establish an exclusive dictate over the world."[48] This was interpreted by some Russian and Western commentators as comparing the United States toNazi Germany.[49]
In 2007, on the eve of the 33rd Summit of the G8 inHeiligendamm, Germany, U.S. journalistAnne Applebaum, who is married to a Polish politician, wrote that "Whether by wagingcyberwarfare on Estonia, threatening the gas supplies of Lithuania, or boycottingGeorgian wine and Polish meat, [Putin] has, over the past few years, made it clear that he intends to reassert Russian influence in the former communist states of Europe, whether those states want Russian influence or not. At the same time, he has also made it clear that he no longer sees Western nations as mere benign trading partners, but rather asCold War-style threats."[49]
_03.jpg)
In his article "No wonder they like Putin," British academicNorman Stone compared Putin to GeneralCharles de Gaulle.[50] Adi Ignatius argues that "Putin... is not aStalin. There are no mass purges in Russia today, no broad climate of terror. But Putin is reconstituting a strong state, and anyone who stands in his way will pay for it."[51] Both Russian and U.S. officials consistently denied the idea of anew Cold War. At the Munich Conference, U.S. Secretary of DefenseRobert Gates said, "We all face many common problems and challenges that must be addressed in partnership with other countries, including Russia.... one Cold War was quite enough."[52] In June 2007, just prior to the 33rd G8 Summit, Vladimir Putin said, "We do not want confrontation; we want to engage in dialogue. However, we want a dialogue that acknowledges the equality of both parties' interests."[53]
On June 7, 2007, Putin, publicly opposed to aU.S. missile shield in Europe, presented PresidentGeorge W. Bush with a counterproposal of sharing the use of the Soviet-era radar system inAzerbaijan, rather than building a new system inPoland and theCzech Republic. Putin expressed readiness to modernize theGabala radar station, which has been in operation since 1986. Putin proposed it would not be necessary to place interceptor missiles in Poland then, but interceptors could be placed in NATO memberTurkey orIraq. Putin suggested equal involvement of interested European countries in the project.[54]
In June 2007, in an interview with journalists of G8 countries, when answering the question of whether Russian nuclear forces may be focused on European targets in case "the United States continues building a strategic shield in Poland and the Czech Republic," Putin admitted that "if part of the United States' nuclear capability is situated in Europe and that our military experts consider that they represent a potential threat then we will have to take appropriate retaliatory steps. What steps? Of course we must have new targets in Europe."[53][55]
Following the 2007 Peace Mission military exercises jointly conducted by theShanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states, Putin announced in August 2007 that the resumption on a permanent basis of long-distance patrol flights of Russia's strategic bombers that were suspended in 1992.[56] The announcement made during the SCO summit in the light of joint Russian-Chinese military exercises, first-ever in history to be held on Russian territory,[57] makes some believe that Putin is inclined to set up an anti-NATO bloc, or the Asian version ofOPEC.[58]
When presented with the suggestion that "Western observers are already likening the SCO to a military organisation that would stand in opposition to NATO," Putin answered that "this kind of comparison is inappropriate in both form and substance."[56] Russian Chief of the General StaffYury Baluyevsky was quoted as saying that "there should be no talk of creating a military or political alliance or union of any kind, because this would contradict the founding principles of SCO."[57]
The resumption of long-distance flights of Russia's strategic bombers was followed by the announcement by Russian Defense MinisterAnatoly Serdyukov during his meeting with Putin on December 5, 2007, that 11 ships, including the aircraft carrierKuznetsov, would take part in the first major navy sortie into the Mediterranean since Soviet times.[59] The sortie was to be backed up by 47 aircraft, including strategic bombers.[60] According to Serdyukov, this is an effort to resume regular Russian naval patrols on the world's oceans, the view that is also supported by Russian media.[61] The military analyst fromNovaya GazetaPavel Felgenhauer believes that the accident-proneKuznetsov is scarcely seaworthy, and is more of a menace to her crew than any putative enemy.[62]
In September 2007, Putin visited Indonesia, and in doing so, became the first Russian leader to visit the country in more than 50 years.[63] In the same month, Putin also attended theAPEC meeting held in Sydney, Australia, where he met with Australian Prime MinisterJohn Howard, and signed a uranium trade deal. This was the first visit of a Russian president to Australia.
In October 2007, Putin visitedTehran, Iran to participate in the Second Caspian Summit,[64] where he met with Iranian leaderMahmoud Ahmadinejad.[65] Other participants were leaders of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan.[66] This is the first visit of a leader from the Kremlin to Iran, sinceJoseph Stalin's participation in theTehran Conference in 1943.[67][68] At a press conference after the summit, Putin stated that "all our (Caspian) states have the right to develop their peaceful nuclear programmes without any restrictions."[69] During the summit, it was also agreed that its participants, under no circumstances, would let any third-party state use their territory as a base for aggression or military action against any other participant.[64]
On October 26, 2007, at a press conference following the 20th Russia-EU Summit inPortugal, Putin proposed to create a Russian-European Institute for Freedom and Democracy, headquartered either in Brussels, or in one of the European capitals, and added that "we are ready to supply funds for financing it, just as Europe covers the costs of projects in Russia."[70] This newly proposed institution is expected to monitor human rights violations in Europe and contribute to the development of European democracy.[71]
Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. PresidentGeorge W. Bush failed to resolve their differences over U.S. plans for a missile defense system based inPoland and theCzech Republic, in their meeting in the RussianBlack Sea resort ofSochi in April 2008. Putin made clear that he did not agree with the decision to establish sites in the Eastern European countries. However, he said that the two had agreed to a "strategic framework" to guide future U.S.-Russian relations, in which the two countries recognized that the era in which each had considered the other to be a "strategic threat or enemy" was over.[72]
Putin expressed cautious optimism that the two sides could find a way to cooperate over missile defense and described his eight-year relationship with President Bush as "mostly positive." The Sochi summit was the Bush's last meeting with Putin as a sitting president, following both leaders' attendance at theNATO summit inRomania earlier that month. That summit also highlighted differences between Washington and Moscow, over U.S.-backed proposals to extend the military alliance to include the former Soviet republics ofUkraine andGeorgia. Russia opposes the proposed expansion, fearing it will reduce its own influence over its neighbours.[72]
Fareed Zakaria suggested that the2008 South Ossetia War turned out to be a diplomatic disaster for Russia. He added that it was a major strategic blunder, turning neighboring nations such as Ukraine to embrace the United States and other Western nations more.[73] Hungarian-American geostrategistGeorge Friedman countered that both the war and Russian foreign policy have been successful in expanding Russia's influence.[74]
The mid-2010s marked a dramatic downturn in Russian relations with the West, with some even considering it the start of a new Cold War.[75] The United States and Russia supported opposing sides in theSyrian Civil War, and Washington regarded Moscow as obstructionist in its support for theBashar al-Assad regime.[76]
In 2013, for the first time since 1960, the United States cancelled a summit with Russia, after the latter granted asylum toEdward Snowden.[77]
However, the greatest increase in tensions ensued from the Ukraine crisis that began in 2014, which saw the Russianannexation ofCrimea.[78] Russia also inflameda separatist uprising in theDonbas region.[79] The United States responded to these events by imposing sanctions on Russia, with most European countries following suit due to concerns over Russian interference in the affairs of Central and Eastern Europe.[80]
In October 2015, after years of supporting the Syrian government indirectly, Russia directly intervened in the conflict, turning the tide in favor of the Assad regime. Already strained over Russian support for Assad, Russian-Turkish relations deteriorated even further, especially after the Turkish Air Forceshot down a Russian jet fighter in November 2015. In 2015, Russia also formed theEurasian Economic Union with Armenia, Kazakhstan, and Belarus.
The Russian government disapproves theexpansion of NATO into Eastern Europe, claiming that Western leaders promised that NATO would not expand beyond its 1990s borders.[81]
For decades, the dispute between Japan and Russia over the ownership of theKuril Islands has hindered closer cooperation between the two countries. However, since 2017, high-level talks involving Prime MinisterShinzō Abe have been ongoing in an attempt to resolve the situation.[83]
Russia's power on the international stage depends in large part on its revenue from fossil fuel exports. If the world completes a transition to renewable energy, and international demand for Russianraw materials resources is dramatically reduced, so may Russia's international power be. Although Russian oil and gas exports receive more attention, the country is also one of the world's three largest coal exporters and this industry is important for some Russian towns and provinces.[84] Russia is ranked 148 out of 156 countries in the index of Geopolitical Gains and Losses afterenergy transition (GeGaLo).[85]
Russia lacks strong alliances.[86] TheCollective Security Treaty Organization is an attempt to develop a successor alliance to theWarsaw Pact but it is comparatively weak.[86] Russia participates in theShanghai Cooperation Organization, but the SCO is a multilateral cooperation group rather than a military alliance and China plays the leading role in the organization.[86]
_10.jpg)
WhenRussia invaded Ukraine in 2022, its foreign policy changed significantly after 141 countries approved aMarch 2022 UN resolution condemning theinvasion and demanding a full withdrawal ofRussian forces and after more than 600 Russian diplomats were declaredpersona non grata that same year.[87]
Russia attempted to solidify its alliances in Africa, Asia, and South America. Historically, the formerSoviet Union and later theRussian Federation had good relations with modern states in those regions, being on the side of oppressed populations, such as duringApartheid inSouth Africa, and opposing imperialism worldwide.[88] Later in 2022, many African and South American countries abstained from voting against Russia in theUN Security Council for its military involvements in Ukraine. Russia's influence in Africa and South America is expanding, particularly in the areas ofmining andsecurity services. Most African and South American countries have a keen interest in cheap fossil energy and have no sanctions in place against Russian entities.[89][90]
.jpg)
.jpg)
In 2023, Russia unveiled aEurasianist,anti-Western foreign policy strategy in a document titledThe Concept of the Foreign Policy of the Russian Federation approved byVladimir Putin. The document defines Russia as a "unique country-civilization and a vastEurasian and Euro-Pacific power" that seeks to create a "Greater Eurasian Partnership" by pursuing close relations with China, India, countries of theIslamic World and the rest of theGlobal South (Latin America andSouthern Africa.) The policy identifies theUnited States and otherEnglish-speaking countries as "the main inspirer, organizer and executor of the aggressiveanti-Russian policy of the collective West" and seeks the end ofU.S. dominance in the international scene. The document also adopts aneo-Soviet posture, positioning Russia as the successor state of USSR and calling for the spread of "accurate information" regarding the "decisive contribution of the Soviet Union" in shaping thepost-WWIIinternational order and theUnited Nations.[91][92][93]
In 2024,Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso reached an agreement with Russia to obtain telecom and surveillance satellites, aiming to strengthen border security and improve communications. These West African nations, facing ongoingIslamist insurgencies, sought Russian support after tensions with Western allies. This move came shortly after an Islamist militantsattack on an airport in Mali, highlighting the region's unstable security situation.[94]
In Africa, Russia uses anti-French and anti-Western propaganda through clandestine agencies.[95]
In response to widespread sanctions and military support for Ukraine, Russia has been accused of waging acampaign of hybrid warfare across the continent. This includes confirmed and suspected acts of sabotage, espionage, and influence operations intended to weaken European resolve and infrastructure.[96]
List of countries which Russia maintains diplomatic relations with:
 | ||
|---|---|---|
| # | Country | Date[97] |
| 1 |  Denmark | 8 November 1493[98] |
| 2 |  Iran | 1521[99] |
| 3 |  United Kingdom | 24 August 1553[100] |
| 4 |  Netherlands | 1613[101] |
| 5 |  France | November 1615[102] |
| 6 |  Sweden | 15 March 1722[103] |
| 7 |  Portugal | 24 October 1779[104] |
| 8 |  United States | 14 July 1809[105] |
| 9 |  Spain | 20 July 1812[106] |
| 10 |  Switzerland | 6 March 1814[107] |
| 11 |  Brazil | 3 October 1828[108] |
| 12 |  Serbia | 23 February 1838[109] |
| 13 |  Greece | 5 September 1838[110] |
| 14 |  Belgium | 11 April 1853[111] |
| 15 |  Japan | 7 February 1855[112] |
| 16 |  Uruguay | 9 September 1857[113] |
| 17 |  Peru | 17 January 1873[114] |
| 18 |  Romania | 24 October 1878[115] |
| 19 |  Bulgaria | 7 July 1879[116] |
| 20 |  Mexico | 11 December 1890[117] |
| 21 |  Luxembourg | 7 March 1891[118] |
| 22 |  Thailand | 3 July 1897[119] |
| 23 |  Bolivia | 9 August 1898[120] |
| 24 |  Panama | 21 November 1903[121] |
| 25 |  Norway | 7 November 1905[122] |
| 26 |  Afghanistan[123] | 27 May 1919 |
| 27 |  Finland | 31 December 1920[124] |
| 28 |  Italy | 7 February 1921 |
| 29 |  Poland | 7 April 1921[125] |
| 30 |  Mongolia | 5 November 1921 |
| 31 |  Austria | 25 February 1924 |
| 32 |  Albania | 4 July 1924 |
| 33 |  Turkey | 8 November 1924[126] |
| 34 |  Saudi Arabia | 16 February 1926 |
| 35 |  Hungary | 4 February 1934 |
| 36 |  Czech Republic | 9 June 1934 |
| 37 |  Colombia | 25 June 1935[127] |
| 38 |  Iraq | 16 May 1941 |
| 39 |  Canada | 12 June 1942 |
| 40 |  Australia | 10 October 1942 |
| 41 |  Ethiopia | 21 April 1943 |
| 42 |  Egypt | 26 August 1943[128] |
| 43 |  Iceland | 4 October 1943 |
| 44 |  New Zealand | 13 April 1944 |
| 45 |  Costa Rica | 8 May 1944[129] |
| 46 |  Syria | 21 July 1944 |
| 47 |  Lebanon | 31 July 1944 |
| 48 |  Dominican Republic | 14 March 1945 |
| 49 |  Venezuela | 14 March 1945 |
| 50 |  Guatemala | 19 April 1945 |
| 51 |  Argentina | 6 June 1946 |
| 52 |  India | 14 April 1947 |
| 53 |  Myanmar | 18 February 1948 |
| 54 |  Pakistan | 1 May 1948 |
| 55 |  Israel | 15 May 1948 |
| 56 |  North Korea | 12 October 1948 |
| 57 |  China | 2 October 1949 |
| 58 |  Vietnam | 30 January 1950 |
| 59 |  Indonesia | 3 February 1950[130] |
| 60 |  Germany | 13 September 1955[131] |
| 61 |  Libya | 25 September 1955 |
| 62 |  Yemen | 31 October 1955 |
| 63 |  Sudan | 3 January 1956 |
| 64 |  Liberia | 11 January 1956 |
| 65 |  Tunisia | 11 July 1956[132] |
| 66 |  Nepal | 20 July 1956 |
| 67 |  Cambodia | 6 November 1956[133] |
| 68 |  Sri Lanka | 19 February 1957[134] |
| 69 |  Ghana | 15 January 1958 |
| 70 |  Morocco | 29 August 1958 |
| 71 |  Guinea | 3 October 1958 |
| 72 |  Togo | 1 May 1960 |
| 73 |  Cuba | 8 May 1960 |
| 74 |  Democratic Republic of the Congo | 29 June 1960 |
| 75 |  Republic of the Congo | 7 July 1960 |
| 76 |  Somalia | 30 September 1960 |
| 77 |  Laos | 7 October 1960 |
| 78 |  Mali | 8 October 1960 |
| 79 |  Cyprus | 18 November 1960 |
| 80 |  Nigeria | 25 November 1960[135] |
| 81 |  Central African Republic | 15 December 1960 |
| 82 |  Sierra Leone | 26 April 1961 |
| 83 |  Tanzania | 10 December 1961 |
| 84 |  Algeria | 19 March 1962 |
| 85 |  Benin | 4 June 1962 |
| 86 |  Senegal | 14 June 1962 |
| 87 |  Burundi | 1 October 1962 |
| 88 |  Uganda | 11 October 1962 |
| 89 |  Kuwait | 11 March 1963 |
| 90 |  Jordan | 20 August 1963 |
| 91 |  Rwanda | 17 October 1963 |
| 92 |  Kenya | 14 December 1963 |
| 93 |  Cameroon | 18 February 1964 |
| 94 |  Mauritania | 12 July 1964 |
| 95 |  Zambia | 2 October 1964 |
| 96 |  Chad | 24 November 1964 |
| 97 |  Gambia | 17 July 1965 |
| 98 |  Maldives | 21 September 1966 |
| 99 |  Ivory Coast | 23 January 1967 |
| 100 |  Burkina Faso | 18 February 1967 |
| 101 |  Malaysia | 3 April 1967 |
| 102 |  Malta | 26 July 1967 |
| 103 |  Mauritius | 17 March 1968 |
| 104 |  Singapore | 1 June 1968 |
| 105 |  Equatorial Guinea | 7 December 1968[136] |
| 106 |  Ecuador | 12 November 1969 |
| 107 |  Botswana | 17 March 1970[137] |
| 108 |  Guyana | 17 December 1970 |
| 109 |  United Arab Emirates | 8 December 1971 |
| 110 |  Bangladesh | 25 January 1972 |
| 111 |  Niger | 17 February 1972 |
| 112 |  Madagascar | 29 September 1972 |
| 113 |  Ireland | 29 September 1973 |
| 114 |  Guinea-Bissau | 30 September 1973 |
| 115 |  Gabon | 15 October 1973 |
| 116 |  Fiji | 30 January 1974[138] |
| 117 |  Trinidad and Tobago | 6 June 1974 |
| 118 |  Jamaica | 12 March 1975 |
| 119 |  Mozambique | 28 June 1975 |
| 120 |  São Tomé and Príncipe | 9 August 1975 |
| 121 |  Tonga | 14 October 1975 |
| 122 |  Cape Verde | 25 November 1975 |
| 123 |  Comoros | 6 January 1976 |
| 124 |  Papua New Guinea | 19 May 1976 |
| 125 |  Philippines | 2 June 1976 |
| 126 |  Seychelles | 30 June 1976 |
| 127 |  Angola | 8 October 1976[139] |
| 128 |  Suriname | 2 November 1976[140] |
| 129 |  Samoa | 2 July 1977 |
| 130 |  Djibouti | 3 April 1978[141] |
| 131 |  Grenada | 7 September 1979[142] |
| 132 |  Nicaragua | 13 September 1979[143] |
| 133 |  Lesotho | 1 February 1980 |
| 134 |  Zimbabwe | 20 February 1981[116] |
| 135 |  Oman | 26 September 1985[144] |
| 136 |  Vanuatu | 30 June 1986[145] |
| 137 |  Nauru | 30 December 1987[146] |
| 138 |  Qatar | 1 August 1988[147] |
| 139 |  Antigua and Barbuda | 5 January 1990[148] |
| — |  State of Palestine | 10 January 1990[149] |
| 140 |  Namibia | 21 March 1990[150] |
| 141 |  Kiribati | 5 September 1990[151] |
| 142 |  Bahrain | 29 September 1990[152] |
| 143 |  Honduras | 30 September 1990[148] |
| 144 |  South Korea | 30 September 1990[153] |
| 145 |  Belize | 25 June 1991[148] |
| 146 |  Brunei | 1 October 1991[148] |
| 147 |  Latvia | 4 October 1991[154] |
| 148 |  Lithuania | 4 October 1991[155] |
| 149 |  Estonia | 24 October 1991[156] |
| 150 |  Chile | 26 December 1991[157] |
| — |  Ukraine (severed) | 14 February 1992[158] |
| 151 |  South Africa | 28 February 1992[159] |
| 152 |  Kyrgyzstan | 20 March 1992[160] |
| 153 |  Uzbekistan | 20 March 1992[161] |
| 154 |  Armenia | 4 April 1992[162] |
| 155 |  Azerbaijan | 4 April 1992[163] |
| 156 |  Moldova | 6 April 1992[164] |
| 157 |  Tajikistan | 8 April 1992[165] |
| 158 |  Turkmenistan | 8 April 1992[166] |
| 159 |  Paraguay | 14 May 1992[167] |
| 160 |  Croatia | 25 May 1992[168] |
| 161 |  Slovenia | 25 May 1992[169] |
| 162 |  El Salvador | 3 June 1992[170] |
| 163 |  Belarus | 25 June 1992[171] |
| — |  Georgia (severed) | 1 July 1992[172] |
| 164 |  Marshall Islands | 6 August 1992[148] |
| 165 |  Kazakhstan | 22 October 1992[173] |
| 166 |  Slovakia | 1 January 1993[174] |
| 167 |  Barbados | 29 January 1993[175] |
| 168 |  Eritrea | 24 May 1993[176] |
| 169 |  Malawi | 2 November 1993[148] |
| 170 |  San Marino | 30 September 1993[177] |
| 171 |  Liechtenstein | 30 January 1994[178] |
| 172 |  North Macedonia | 31 January 1994[179] |
| 173 |  Dominica | 19 May 1995[180] |
| 174 |  Andorra | 13 June 1995[181] |
| 175 |  Haiti | 2 June 1996[148] |
| 176 |  Bosnia and Herzegovina | 26 December 1996[182] |
| — |  Federated States of Micronesia (severed) | 9 March 1999[183] |
| 177 |  Eswatini | 19 October 1999[184] |
| 178 |  Timor-Leste | 20 May 2002[185] |
| 179 |  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 17 September 2002[186] |
| 180 |  Saint Kitts and Nevis | 22 September 2003[139] |
| 181 |  Bahamas | 14 January 2004[148] |
| 182 |  Saint Lucia | 19 April 2004[148] |
| 183 |  Montenegro | 26 June 2006[187] |
| 184 |  Monaco | 11 July 2006[188] |
| 185 |  Palau | 28 November 2006[148] |
| — |  Abkhazia | 9 September 2008[189] |
| — |  South Ossetia | 9 September 2008[189] |
| — |  Holy See | 9 December 2009[190] |
| 186 |  South Sudan | 22 August 2011[191] |
| 187 |  Tuvalu | 25 October 2011[192] |
| Country | Formal relations began | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Algeria | SeeAlgeria–Russia relations
Diplomatic relations between Algeria and the Soviet Union were established for the first time on 23 March 1962. The Soviet Union and Algeria engaged in cordial bilateral relations, due to their shared anti-colonial sentiments.[193] From 1962 to 1989, the Soviet Union supplied more than $11 billion in arms to Algeria.[194] Russia currently enjoys very warm relations with Algeria.[195] The two countries signed a Strategic Partnership Declaration in 2001 aimed at strengthening military, economic, and political ties. Russia is still Algeria's largest supplier of arms, and the two countries have conducted multiple joint military exercises. The two countries also engage in bilateral investment, with frequent cooperation in the sectors of hydrocarbons and agriculture.[196] When Algerian PresidentAbdelmadjid Tebboune visited Russia in 2023, the two countries signed an Enhanced Strategic Partnership which further expanded avenues for cooperation.[197] | |
| Angola | SeeAngola–Russia relations orAngola–Soviet Union relations Russia has anembassy inLuanda. Angola has anembassy in Moscow and an honorary consulate inSaint Petersburg. Angola and the precursor to Russia, the Soviet Union, established relations upon Angola's independence. | |
| Benin | SeeBenin–Russia relations Russia has anembassy inCotonou, and Benin has an embassy in Moscow.[198] | |
| Botswana | 6 March 1970 | SeeBotswana–Russia relations Botswana and theSoviet Union initiated diplomatic relations on 6 March 1970. Despite its pro-Western orientation, Botswanaparticipated in the1980 Summer Olympics. The present-day relations between the two countries are described as friendly and long standing. In March, the two countries also celebrated the 35th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations. According to the minister of Foreign Affairs, Russia was one of the first countries to establish full diplomatic relations with Botswana.[199] Trade and economic cooperation between Russia and Botswana are stipulated by the Trade Agreement of 1987 and the Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation of 1988. The Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of Botswana signed the Agreement on Cultural, Scientific and Educational Cooperation in September 1999. Russia and Botswana have had fruitful cooperation in a variety of fields, particularly in human resource development. And Russia is still offering more scholarship in key sectors such as health, which is currently experiencing a critical shortage of manpower. Botswana also is one of the countries where Russian citizens do not require a visa.[200] Russia has an embassy in Gaborone, while Botswana covers Russia from its embassy inStockholm (Sweden) and an honorary consulate inMoscow. |
| Burkina Faso | 18 February 1967 | SeeBurkina Faso – Russia relations Diplomatic relations between Burkina Faso and the Soviet Union were established for the first time on 18 February 1967. After the breakup of the Soviet Union, Burkina Faso recognized Russia as the USSR's successor. However financial reasons has shut the embassies between the two nations. In 1992, the embassy of the Russian Federation inOuagadougou was closed, and in 1996, the embassy of Burkina Faso in Moscow was closed. While, after Ibrahim Traore rise in power, due Russia-Africa Summit 2023, Russia decided to reopen their embassy inOuagadougou. |
| Burundi | SeeBurundi–Russia relations Russia has anembassy inBujumbura. Burundi has an embassy inMoscow. Relations improved when Burundian relations with the west deteriorated.[201] In recent years, Russia and Burundi consistently remains similar visions and collaboration in international arena, including UN framework. | |
| Cameroon | SeeCameroon–Russia relations Russia has an embassy in Yaoundé, and Cameroon has an embassy in Moscow. While, relations between two countries remains strong and deepen with high level trust. | |
| Cape Verde | Russia is represented in Cape-Verde by its embassy inPraia.[202][203] | |
| Central African Republic | SeeCentral African Republic–Russia relations In March 2018, Russia agreed to provide free military aid to the Central African Republic, sending small arms, ammunition, and 175 instructors to train theCentral African Armed Forces.[204] The advisers are believed to be members of theWagner Group.[205] | |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | SeeDemocratic Republic of the Congo–Russia relations | |
| Egypt | 26 August 1943 | SeeEgypt–Russia relations
Egypt enjoyed as the most important allies in many sphere, and major trade partners for Russia in recent years. |
| Eswatini | SeeEswatini–Russia relations | |
| Ethiopia | 1943-4-21 | SeeEthiopia–Russia relations
|
| Eritrea | 1943-4-21 | SeeEritrea–Russia relations |
| Gambia | 1965-07-17 | SeeGambia–Russia relations Both countries have established diplomatic relations on 17 July 1965. Diplomatic relations were later established once again after the breakup of theSoviet Union. The Gambia has an embassy inMoscow. Russia is represented in the Gambia through its embassy inDakar (Senegal). |
| Ghana | SeeGhana–Russia relations Russia has anembassy inAccra, and Ghana has anembassy in Moscow. | |
| Guinea-Bissau | SeeGuinea-Bissau–Russia relations Guinea-Bissau has anembassy in Moscow, and Russia has an embassy in Bissau. | |
| Ivory Coast | SeeIvory Coast–Russia relations Russia works onUN missions to help the people of Ivory Coast. The help is sometimes done from the Russian embassy in Abidjan, but is also done from the embassy inAccra, Ghana. From these point of view, Russia regarded the outcome of the extraordinary summit held inDakar,Senegal, of the Economic Community for West African States. | |
| Kenya | SeeKenya–Russia relations
| |
| Liberia | Liberia and Russia renewed bilateral relations in March 2010 and cited a recent exploration of mine by a Russian company as a sign of future trade relations.[206] | |
| Libya | Main article:Libya–Russia relations Russia sharply criticised theNATO-ledmilitary intervention in the Libyan civil war, though it chose not to use its veto power on theUnited Nations Security Council to block it. On 27 May 2011,Russian PresidentDmitri Medvedev said that althoughMoscow opposed the military operations, it believed Gaddafi should leave power.[207] In early June 2011, Russian envoyMikhail Margelov was received inBenghazi, thede facto headquarters of the Libyan opposition. Margelov's stated objective was to broker a truce betweenanti-Gaddafi forces and the Gaddafi-led government.[208] He recognized the council as Libya's sole legitimate representative, which it did on 1 September 2011.[209] | |
| Madagascar | SeeMadagascar–Russia relations The establishment of diplomatic relations between Madagascar and theSoviet Union started on 29 September 1972. During the2009 Malagasy political crisis, Russia'sForeign MinisterSergey Lavrov stated that Russia is "concerned by the increased frequency of attempts on the African continent to resort to non-constitutional methods of solving internal political problems." He went on to say that, in addition to increasing economic and social problems, the use of force is of concern and runs counter to democratic principles, whilst affirming Russia's support of the African Union's position.[210] | |
| Mali | SeeMali–Russia relations Russia has anembassy inBamako, and Mali has anembassy in Moscow. SinceAssimi Goïta took power via military coup in 2021, the Malian government has sought closer ties with Russia.[213] The Russian government has provided economic and military support to Mali via arms transfers and trade.[214] Despite denial from the Malian government, there is also overwhelming evidence supportingWagner Group operations in Mali.[215] | |
| Mauritania | SeeMauritania–Russia relations Russia has anembassy inNouakchott, and Mauritania has anembassy in Moscow. | |
| Mauritius | 17 March 1968 | SeeMauritius–Russia relations TheSoviet Union and Mauritius established diplomatic relations on 17 March 1968.[216] Russia has an embassy inPort Louis, and Mauritius has an embassy in Moscow, which was opened in July 2003.[217] |
| Morocco | SeeMorocco–Russia relations Russia has an embassy inRabat, and a consular office inCasablanca. Morocco is represented in Russia by its embassy toMoscow. PresidentVladimir Putin had paid a visit to Morocco in September 2006 in order to boost economic and military ties between Russia and Morocco. | |
| Mozambique | 25 June 1975 | SeeMozambique–Russia relations Mozambique-Russia relations date back to the 1960s, when Russia began to support the struggle of Mozambique's Marxist-orientedFRELIMO party againstPortuguese colonialism. Most leaders of theFRELIMO were trained in Moscow. Diplomatic relations were formally established on 25 June 1975, soon afterMozambique gained its independence fromPortugal. In June 2007, both Russia and Mozambique signed an agreement on economic cooperation.[218] Russia has an embassy in Maputo while Mozambique has an embassy inMoscow. |
| Namibia | SeeNamibia–Russia relations Namibia has an embassy to Russia in Moscow and Russia has an embassy to Namibia in Windhoek. Relations between Namibia and Russia were considered "excellent" in 2006 by then-Namibian Minister of EducationNangolo Mbumba, while Russia expressed a desire for even stronger relations, particularly in the economic field. Also in 2006, the Namibia-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation was officially opened during a visit by Russian Natural Resources MinisterYuri Trutnev toWindhoek. During said visit, the Minister said Russia was interested in investing in oil, hydro-electric power and tourism.[219] In 2007, Russian Prime MinisterMikhail Fradkov held discussions with Namibian Deputy Prime MinisterNahas Angula and PresidentHifikepunye Pohamba in regards to the possibility of developing Namibia's significant uranium deposits with an aim towards creating a nuclear power plant in the country.[220] In 2008, Trutnev returned to Namibia, this time toSwakopmund, to meet at the third annual Intergovernmental Commission. Top foreign ministry officialMarco Hausiku and his deputyLempy Lucas represented Namibia in discussions with Trutnev.[221] | |
| Niger | SeeNiger–Russia relations
| |
| Nigeria | 25 November 1960 | SeeNigeria–Russia relations
|
| Senegal | 14 June 1962 | SeeRussia–Senegal relations Russia has an embassy in Dakar and Senegal has an embassy in Moscow. The Soviet Union established diplomatic relations with Senegal on 14 June 1962. |
| Seychelles | 1976-06-30 | SeeRussia–Seychelles relations Diplomatic relations between Seychelles and theSoviet Union were established on 30 June 1976, a day after the island nation gained its independence from theUnited Kingdom.[223]Russia has an embassy inVictoria.[224] Seychelles is represented in Russia through its embassy inParis (France) and an honorary consulate inSaint Petersburg. |
| South Africa | 1942 | SeeRussia–South Africa relations |
| South Sudan | 22 August 2011[228][229][230] | SeeRussia–South Sudan relations |
| Sudan | SeeRussia–Sudan relations Russia has an embassy inKhartoum and Sudan has an embassy inMoscow. For decades,Russia andSudan have maintained a strong economic and politically strategic partnership. Due to solidarity with both theUnited States and with theSoviet Union and with the allies of the two nations, Sudan declared neutrality and instead chose membership in theNon-Aligned Movement throughout theCold War. Russo-Sudanese relations were minorly damaged when, in 1971 members of theSudanese Communist Party attempted to assassinate then-presidentGaafar Nimeiry, and Nimeiry pegged the blame on the USSR, thus enhancing Sudanese relations with the West, and were damaged again when Sudan supported theMujahadeen inAfghanistanwhen the USSR invaded in 1979. Due toa common enemy, diplomatic cooperation between the two countries dramatically got back on track during the late 1990s and early 2000s, whenVladimir Putin was elected thePresident, and then thePrime Minister of Russia, and along withGeneral Secretary of the Chinese Communist PartyHu Jintao opposedUN Peacekeepers inDarfur. Russia strongly supports Sudan'sterritorial integrity and opposes the creation of an independent Darfurian state. Also, Russia is Sudan's strongest investment partner inEurope and political ally in Europe, and Russia has repeatedly and significantly regarded Sudan as an important global ally inthe African continent. For decades there have been Sudanese collegians studying in Russian universities. | |
| Tanzania | 1961-01-11 | SeeRussia–Tanzania relations Both countries have signed diplomatic missions on 11 December 1961 Russia has anembassy inDar es Salaam, and Tanzania has anembassy in Moscow.[231] |
| Tunisia | 1956 | SeeRussia–Tunisia relations Russia has an embassy inTunis, and Tunisia has an embassy inMoscow. |
| Uganda | SeeRussia – Uganda relations Russia has an embassy in Kampala and Uganda has anembassy in Moscow. | |
| Zambia | SeeRussia–Zambia relations
| |
| Zimbabwe | 1981-02-18 | SeeRussia–Zimbabwe relations
Russia-Zimbabwe relations date back to January 1979, during theRhodesian Bush War. The Soviet Union supportedJoshua Nkomo'sZimbabwe African People's Union, and supplied them with arms;Robert Mugabe's attempts to gain Soviet support for hisZimbabwe African National Union were rebuffed, leading him to enter into relations withSoviet rival Beijing. After the end of the white regime inZimbabwe,Robert Mugabe had strengthened his relations with both Beijing and Moscow as a result of intense western pressure on him. Russia maintains strong economic and political ties with Zimbabwe and both countries had vetoed the UN resolution imposing UN sanctions on Zimbabwe which was proposed by both the US and the UK on 12 July 2008. |
| Country | Formal relations began | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 1885-10-22 | SeeArgentina–Russia relations
|
| Barbados | 1993-01-29 | TheRussian Federation andBarbados established formal diplomatic relations on 29 January 1993.[233][234] In 2018 both nations celebrated 25 years of diplomatic ties and pledged closer collaboration.[235][236][237] The two nations also discussed cultural exchanges and Russia working with Barbados' light oil and gas industry.[238][239] And possible scholarships to Russian schools.[240] In 2022 the Russian Foreign Minister met his counterpart in Barbados to discuss current relations and explored a future agenda with the nation including among other things the conclusion of a visa waiver agreement between both nations.[241]
|
| Bolivia | SeeBolivia–Russia relations With Bolivia the focus on relations with Russia is mainly economic, as opposed to political and strategic, as an agreement to invest in Bolivia'snatural gas fields shows. It is seen to "help Latin America...[as it] expands Latin America's economic opportunities, diversifies its relationships...that's healthy."[243] 2008 saw, as a first step to re-establish ties with Russia, the Bolivian government had plans to purchase a small batch of helicopters. Ambassador Leonid Golubev told The Associated Press that he would like to see Russia's ties to Bolivia one day "approach the level" of its growing partnership withVenezuela.[244][245] In 2009 amid improving relations between the two countries Bolivia and Russia signed various agreements pertaining to energy and military ties, mining activities andillegal drug eradication.[244][246]
| |
| Brazil | 3 October 1828 | SeeBrazil–Russia relations Brazil–Russia relations have seen a significant improvement in recent years, characterized by an increasing commercial trade and cooperation in military and technology segments. Today, Brazil shares an important alliance with theRussian Federation, with partnerships in areas such asspace andmilitary technologies, andtelecommunications.
|
| Canada | 1942-06-12 | SeeCanada–Russia relations Canada and Russia benefit from extensive cooperation on trade and investment, energy, democratic development and governance, security and counter-terrorism, northern issues, and cultural and academic exchanges. |
| Chile | 1944-12-11 | SeeChile–Russia relations
|
| Colombia | 1935 | SeeColombia–Russia relations
|
| Costa Rica | SeeCosta Rica–Russia relations Costa Rica has anembassy inMoscow. Russia has an embassy inSan José.[247] Holders of aRussian passport need avisa authorized by Costa Rica, or alternatively Costa Rican authorities will accept Russian nationals with a visa stamp for the European Union, Canada, USA, South Korea, or Japan valid for 90 days after arrival; with atourist visa, Russians can stay in Costa Rica for a maximum of 90 days.[248] In order to get a tourist visa, the person needs to apply for it in the closest Costa Rican embassy to where the person is living.[citation needed] The person must have avalid passport and either have aninvitation letter or abank statement with enough money to survive the length of the stay in Costa Rica, plus proof of onward travel (ticket to exit Costa Rica & legal ability to travel to the destination stated on the ticket). Holders of aCosta Rican passport also need a visa from Russian authorities. | |
| Cuba | SeeCuba–Russia relations orCuba–Soviet Union relations_05.jpg) Relations between the two countries suffered somewhat during theBoris Yeltsin administration, as Cuba was forced to look for new major allies, such as China, after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Relations improved whenVladimir Putin was elected as the new Russian President. Putin, and laterDmitry Medvedev, emphasized re-establishing strong relations with old Soviet allies. In 2008, Medvedev visited Havana andRaúl Castro made a week-long trip to Moscow. In that same year the two governments signed multiple economic agreements and Russia sent tons of humanitarian aid to Cuba. Cuba, meanwhile, gave staunch political support for Russia during the2008 South Ossetia war. Relations between the two nations are currently at a post-Soviet high, and talks about potentially re-establishing a Russian military presence in Cuba are even beginning to surface. | |
| Dominica | 1995 | Dominica and Russia have established diplomatic relations on 19 May 1995.[249] In April 2018, Dominica appointed a resident ambassador to Russia.[250] |
| Ecuador | SeeEcuador–Russia relations Ecuador has an embassy in Moscow.[251] Russia has an embassy in Quito.[252] | |
| Grenada | During theNew Jewel Movement, the Soviet Union tried to make the island of Grenada function as a Soviet base, and also by getting supplies fromCuba. In October 1983, during theU.S. invasion of Grenada, U.S. PresidentRonald Reagan maintained thatUS Marines arrived on the island of Grenada, which was considered a Soviet-Cuban ally that wouldexport communist revolution throughout theCaribbean. In November, at a joint hearing of Congressional Subcommittee, it was told that Grenada could be used as a staging area for subversion of the nearby countries, for intersection of shipping lanes, and for the transit of troops and supplies from Cuba toAfrica, and fromEastern Europe andLibya toCentral America. In December, theState Department published a preliminary report on Grenada, in which it was claimed as an "Island of SovietInternationalism". When the US Marines landed on the island, they discovered a large amount of documents, which included agreements between the Soviet Government, and the New Jewel Movement, recorded minutes of the Committee meetings, and reports from the Grenadian embassy inMoscow.[253] Diplomatic relations between Grenada and the Soviet Union were severed in 1983 by the Governor General of Grenada. Eventually in 2002, Grenada re-established diplomatic relations with the newly formed Russian Federation.[254] | |
| Guyana | 17 December 1970 | SeeGuyana–Russia relations
|
| Mexico | 1 December 1890 | SeeMexico–Russia relations
|
| Nicaragua | December 1944 | SeeNicaragua–Russia relations Both countries signed diplomatic missions on 18 October 1979, a few months after theSandinista revolution.[255] PresidentVladimir Putin visited Nicaragua on 12 July 2014.
|
| Panama | 21 November 1903[256][257] | SeePanama–Russia relations |
| Paraguay | 14 May 1992 | SeeParaguay–Russia relations
|
| Suriname | The nations have begun discussing cooperation in the areas of agriculture, fishing, shipbuilding, education, along with trade. In October 2013, the Surinamese foreign minister, Yldiz Pollack-Beighle visited Moscow for talks on concluding military and joint law enforcement training.[261] | |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 6 June 1974 | SeeRussia–Trinidad and Tobago relations Both countries have signed diplomatic missions on 6 June 1974. Russia is represented in Trinidad and Tobago through a non-resident embassy inGeorgetown (Guyana). Both countries have interests with each other since theSoviet Union. In August 1992, Trinidad recognized Russia as the USSR's successor. In 2004,Sergey Lavrov andKnowlson Gift signed the protocol on the political consultations between the two Ministries. In April 2005 theChamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation and the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago signed the cooperation agreement.[262] In 2004, the RussianCossack folk dance had nine concerts inPort of Spain,San Fernando,Couva, andTobago. |
| United States | SeeRussia–United States relations
| |
| Uruguay | SeeRussia–Uruguay relations Russia has an embassy inMontevideo and Uruguay has anembassy in Moscow.[263] Russia is looking for cooperation with Uruguay in the field of nuclear energy, the Russian ambassador to Latin America said: "Our countries could maintain cooperation in the sphere of nuclear energy although Uruguay's legislation bans the use of nuclear energy". The diplomat said Uruguayan officials had shown interest in a floating nuclear power plant, when the project's presentation took place at the Russian Embassy recently. The first floating plant will have capacity of 70 MW of electricity, and about 300 MW of thermal power. The cost of the first plant is estimated at US$400 million, but could later be reduced to $240 million. This year marks the 150th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Russia and Uruguay. | |
| Venezuela | SeeRussia–Venezuela relations
|
| Country | Formal relations began | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | SeeAfghanistan–Russia relations Afghanistan and Russia have shared a highly varied relationship from the mid-19th century to the modern day. For decades, Russia and Britain struggled for influence in Afghanistan, strategically positioned between their two empires, in what became known as "The Great Game". Following the 1917Bolshevik Revolution, the new Soviet Union established more cordial relations with Afghanistan, and in 1919 became the first country to recognise Afghan sovereignty.[citation needed] Relations between the two nations became complicated following the 1978 communist coup known as theSaur Revolution. The new communistDemocratic Republic of Afghanistan was highly dependent on the Soviet Union, and the Soviet support for the widely disliked communist regime, and the ensuingSoviet–Afghan War, led to a great hatred for the Soviets in much of the Afghan population. The Soviets occupied Afghanistan in the face of a bitter ten-year insurgency before withdrawing in 1989. Even following the withdrawal of Soviet forces, the Soviet Union provided massive support to the embattled DRA government, reaching a value of $3 billion a year in 1990. However, this relationship dissolved in 1991 along with thedissolution of the Soviet Union itself. On 13 September 1991, the Soviet government, now dominated by Boris Yeltsin, agreed with the United States on a mutual cut off of military aid to both sides in the Afghan civil war beginning on 1 January 1992. The post-coup Soviet government then attempted to develop political relations with the Afghan resistance. In mid-November it invited a delegation of the resistance's Afghanistan Interim Government (AIG) to Moscow where the Soviets agreed that a transitional government should prepare Afghanistan for national elections. The Soviets did not insist that Najibullah or his colleagues participate in the transitional process. Having been cut adrift both materially and politically, Najibullah's faction torn government began to fall apart, and the city of Kabul fell to the Mujahideen factions in April 1992. In 2009, Russian PresidentDmitry Medvedev announced that he wanted to be more involved in Afghanistan, supporting development of infrastructure and the army. This came as relations between Afghan President Karzai and American President Obama reached a low. On 9 April 2022, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs accreditedTaliban appointeeJamal Nasir Gharwal ascharge d'affaires of theAfghan Embassy in Moscow.[264] | |
| Armenia | 3 April 1992 | SeeArmenia–Russia relations Armenia's most notable recent foreign policy success came with 29 August treaty with Russia on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance, in which Moscow committed itself to the defense of Armenia should it be attacked by a third party. Russia is the key regional security player, and has proved a valuable historical ally for Armenia. Although it appeared as a response to Aliyev's US trip, the treaty had probably long been under development. However, it is clear from the wider context of Armenian foreign policy that—while Yerevan welcomes the Russian security guarantee—the country does not want to rely exclusively on Moscow, nor to become part of a confrontation between Russian and US-led alliances in the Transcaucasus.
|
| Azerbaijan | 4 April 1992 | SeeAzerbaijan–Russia relations
|
| Bahrain | SeeBahrain–Russia relations Russia has anembassy inManama, and Bahrain has an embassy in Moscow. | |
| Bangladesh | 1971 | SeeBangladesh–Russia relations |
| Cambodia | 13 May 1956[266] | SeeCambodia–Russia relations
|
| China | 1949 | SeeChina–Russia relations
|
| Georgia[267] | 1 July 1992 (Suspended2 September 2008)[172] | SeeGeorgia–Russia relations On 29 August 2008, in the aftermath of the2008 South Ossetia war, Deputy Foreign MinisterGrigol Vashadze announced that Georgia had broken diplomatic relations with Russia. He also said that Russian diplomats must leave Georgia, and that no Georgian diplomat would remain in Russia, while only consular relations would be maintained. Russian foreign ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said that Russia regretted this step.[268] |
| India | SeeIndia–Russia relations During theCold War,India and the Soviet Union enjoyed a strong strategic, military, economic and diplomatic relationship. After the collapse of the USSR, India improved its relations with the West but it continued its close relations with Russia. India is the second-largest market for the Russian arms industry. In 2004, more than 70% of theIndian Military's hardware came from Russia, making Russia the chief supplier of arms.[269] Since 2000 and the visit ofVladimir Putin in India, there has been an Indo-Russian Strategic Partnership also referred as "special and privileged strategic partnership".
| |
| Indonesia | February 1950 | SeeIndonesia–Russia relations Russia is represented in Indonesia especially an embassy inJakarta. Russian ambassador to Indonesia Ludmilla Georgievna serves as the first female Russian ambassador to Indonesia, since 2018.  The Soviet Union established diplomatic relations with Indonesia in 1950 and was one of the very few countries to recognize Indonesia's independence from the Netherlands after World War II. Early in the Cold War, both countries had very strong relations, with Indonesian president Sukarno visiting Moscow and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev visiting Jakarta. When Sukarno was overthrown by General Suharto, relations between the two states were significantly deteriorated, likely due to Indonesia's enforced anti-communist policy under Suharto following the1965 unrest. Relations between the Soviet Union and Indonesia grew tense for 20 years, but a thaw began when Gorbachev came to power. However, unlike the relations with China during Suharto's rule, the diplomatic relations were not suspended and remained intact. Indonesia's negative views of the Soviet Union had significantly increased following the 1979 Soviet-Afghan War, with many Indonesians claiming it as a "communist crime against Muslims". During this time, Indonesia is also one of many countries that boycotted the1980 Moscow Olympics. Indonesian President Suharto visited the Soviet Union in September 1989 for the first time since taking power more than two decades prior. Official talks between Suharto and Soviet leaderMikhail Gorbachev taking place in the Kremlin. The USSR under Gorbachev began to develop closer ties with Indonesia alongside other Southeast Asian countries, and relations between the two states were improving once again since the formation of the modern-day Russian Federation. Under Boris Yeltsin and later Vladimir Putin, relations were generally stable and continued until the invasion of Ukraine. |
| Iran | SeeIran–Russia relations_01.jpg) Relations between Russia andPersia (pre-1935 Iran) have a long history, as they officially commenced in 1521 with theSafavids in power. Past and present contact between Russia and Iran has always been complicated and multi-faceted, often wavering between collaboration and rivalry. The two nations have a long history of geographic, economic, and socio-political interaction. Their mutual relations have often been turbulent, and dormant at other times. Since 2019 however, their relationship has drastically improved and Russia and Iran are now strategic allies and form an axis in theCaucasus alongside Armenia. Iran has its embassy inMoscow and consulate generals in the cities ofKazan andAstrakhan. Russia has its embassy inTehran, and consulate generals in the cities ofRasht andIsfahan. | |
| Iraq | 9 September 1944 | SeeIraq–Russia relations
|
| Israel | 17 May 1948 | SeeIsrael–Russia relations andRussian language in Israel
|
| Japan | 7 February 1855 | SeeJapan–Russia relations orJapan–Soviet Union relations Japan's relations withRussia are hampered by the two sides' inability to resolve their territorial dispute over the four islands that make up theNorthern Territories (Kuriles), which the Soviet Union seized towards the end ofWorld War II. The stalemate has prevented conclusion of a peace treaty formally ending the war. The dispute over the Kuril Islands exacerbated the Japan–Russo relations when the Japanese government published a new guideline for school textbooks on 16 July 2008 to teach Japanese children that their country has sovereignty over the Kuril Islands. The Russian public was outraged by the action. theForeign Minister of Russia criticized the action while reaffirming its sovereignty over the islands.[278]
|
| Jordan | 20 August 1963 | SeeJordan–Russia relations Russia has an embassy in Amman, while Jordan has an embassy inMoscow. Both countries had established diplomatic relations on 20 August 1963.[279] |
| Kazakhstan | SeeKazakhstan–Russia relations Kazakhstan has anembassy in Moscow, consulate-general in Saint Petersburg,Astrakhan andOmsk. Russia has anembassy in Astana and consulates inAlmaty andUralsk. Diplomatic relations between Russia and Kazakhstan have fluctuated since the fall of theSoviet Union but both nations remain particularly strong partners in regional affairs and major supporters of theCollective Security Treaty Organization,Shanghai Cooperation Organisation andEurasian Economic Union.[280] Kazakhstani-Russian relations have been strained at times by Astana's military and economic cooperation with the United States as well as negotiations over Russia's continued use of the Baikonur Cosmodrome, however the two nations retain high-level military and economic cooperation perhaps second among former Soviet states only to that between Russia and Belarus. Kazakhstan sells oil and gas to Russia at a significantly reduced rate and Russian businesses are heavily invested in Kazakhstan's economy. | |
| Kyrgyzstan | SeeKyrgyzstan–Russia relations Whereas the otherCentral Asianrepublics have sometimes complained of Russian interference, Kyrgyzstan has more often wished for more attention and support from Moscow than it has been able to obtain. For all the financial support that the world community has offered, Kyrgyzstan remains economically dependent on Russia, both directly and throughKazakhstan. In early 1995,Askar Akayev, the thenPresident of Kyrgyzstan, attempted to sell Russian companies controlling shares in the republic's twenty-nine largest industrial plants, an offer that Russia refused.[281] | |
| Laos | SeeLaos–Russia relations
| |
| Lebanon | SeeLebanon–Russia relations
| |
| Malaysia | 3 April 1967[284] | SeeMalaysia–Russia relations Russia has an embassy in Kuala Lumpur,[285] and Malaysia has anembassy in Moscow.[286] |
| Mongolia | 5 November 1921[287] | SeeMongolia–Russia relations Relations betweenMongolia and theRussian Federation have been traditionally strong since theCommunist era, whenSoviet Russia was the closest ally of theMongolian People's Republic. Russia has anembassy inUlaanbaatar and two consulate generals (inDarkhan andErdenet). Mongolia has anembassy in Moscow, three consulate generals (inIrkutsk,Kyzyl andUlan Ude), and a branch inYekaterinburg. Both countries are full members of theOrganization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (Russia is a participating state, while Mongolia is a partner). After the disintegration of the former Soviet Union, Mongolia developed relations with the new independent states. Links withRussia and other republics were essential to contribute to stabilisation of the Mongolian economy. The primary difficulties in developing fruitful coordination occurred because these new states were experiencing the same political and economic restructuring as Mongolia. Despite these difficulties, Mongolia and Russia successfully negotiated both a 1991 Joint Declaration of Cooperation and a bilateral trade agreement. This was followed by a 1993 Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation[288] establishing a new basis of equality in the relationship. Mongolian President Bagabandi visitedMoscow in 1999, and Russian PresidentVladimir Putin visited Mongolia in 2000[288] in order to sign the 25-point Ulaanbaatar Declaration, reaffirming Mongol-Russian friendship and cooperation on numerous economic and political issues. |
| Myanmar | SeeMyanmar–Russia relations China and Russia once vetoed aU.N. Security Council resolution designed to punish Myanmar.[289][290] Relations improved even more when relations with the west deteriorated, following theRohingya crisis.[291] | |
| Nepal | 1956 | SeeNepal–Russia relations Nepal and the Soviet Union had established diplomatic relations in 1956. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Nepal extended full diplomatic recognition to the Russian Federation as its legal successor. Since then numerous bilateral meetings have taken place between both sides. Since 1992 numerous Nepalese students have gone to Russia for higher studies on a financial basis. In October 2005 the Foreign ministers of both countries met to discuss cooperation on a variety of issues including political, economic, military, educational, and cultural. Both countries maintain embassies in each other's capitals. Russia has an embassy inKathmandu while Nepal has an embassy inMoscow. |
| North Korea | 1948 | SeeNorth Korea–Russia relations  Russia–DPRK relations are determined byRussia's strategic interests in Korea and the goal of preserving peace and stability in the Korean peninsula. Russia's official position is by extension its stance on settlement of theNorth Korean nuclear crisis.[vague] |
| Pakistan | 1948[292] | SeePakistan–Russia relations Relations between these two countries have been strained in the past, because of Pakistan's close ties to America and its support for theAfghan rebels duringthe invasion by the USSR.[citation needed] However, the relations had improved since 1999 and become cordial in 2014. The Russian Army started their first ever joint-drill in 2016. |
| Palestine | 1974 | SeePalestine-Soviet Union relations andPalestine-Russia relations Thebilateral relations between theState of Palestine andRussia (and before 1991, theSoviet Union) have a complex history, deeply interwoven with Russian and Soviet relations with theIsraeli enterprise,Palestinian nationalism, andThird Worldnational liberation movements. Between 1956 and 1990, Soviet–Palestinian relations were part of the then-ongoingSoviet–American confrontation. Bilateral relations betweenPalestine and theSoviet Union were formally established in 1974.[196][293] The PLO was recognized as the sole legitimate representative of Palestine that same year. |
| Philippines | 2 June 1976 | SeePhilippines–Russia relations |
| Qatar | SeeQatar–Russia relations | |
| Saudi Arabia | 1926 | SeeRussia–Saudi Arabia relations
|
| Singapore | 1 June 1968 | SeeRussia–Singapore relations Singapore and theSoviet Union (now Russia) entered into fulldiplomatic relations on 1 June 1968. The two nations engaged in trade and economic cooperation. After the start ofVladimir Putin's term,Singapore andRussia strengthened ties, participating in a number of regional meetings such as theASEAN-Russia Summit and theASEAN Regional Forum. Both Singapore and Russia are members ofAPEC. |
| South Korea | 30 September 1990 | SeeRussia–South Korea relations
|
| Sri Lanka | SeeRussia–Sri Lanka relations
| |
| Syria | SeeRussia–Syria relations Russia has an embassy inDamascus and a consulate inAleppo, and Syria has anembassy in Moscow. As with most of theArab countries, Russia enjoys a historically strong and stable friendly relationship with Syria. Since 1971, Russia has leased port facilities inTartus for its naval fleet. Between 1992 and 2008 these facilities were much in disrepair, however, works have commenced concurrent with the2008 South Ossetia war to improve the port's facilities to support an increased Mediterranean presence of theRussian Navy. Russia is believed to have sent Syria dozens of Iskander missiles.[298] Russia has been strongly supporting Syria in theSyrian civil war, especially since the start of anair campaign in 2015. | |
 Taiwan | SeeRussia–Taiwan relations In theChinese Civil War, theSoviet Union had a tumultuous yet strategic relations with theKuomintang-led Nationalist China until 1949 with the proclamation of thePeople's Republic of China and the subsequent military takeover ofMainland China by theChinese Communist Party. In theSecond Taiwan Strait Crisis, the Soviet Union under the leadership ofNikita Khrushchev recommended the internationalization of theTaiwan Question and appealed to the United Nations and other multilateral organizations to erase the crisis, further, theCommunist Party of the Soviet Union called for the Ten Nations Summit inNew Delhi to discuss the issue and eradicate the military tension on 27 September 1958 and undermined as one of the precursors of the latterSino-Soviet split.[299] Since the formation of theRussian Federation, Taiwan has exported many ferric materials to Russia in 2004–2005. In 2005, the total amount of the trade between the two economies was $2,188,944,473. Russia also has a representative office in Taipei,[300] and Republic of China has a representative office inMoscow.[301] According to the data, Russia keeps a positive balance in its trade relations with Taiwan mainly from crude oil, cast iron and steel, nonferrous metals, petrochemical products, ferroalloys, coking coal, timber, and chemical fertilizers. Russia imports mostly electronics and electronic parts, computers and computer parts, and home appliances. The two countries cooperate closely and intensely by establishing unofficial diplomatic relations since 1993~1996. Taipei is targeting Russia forexporting opportunities andmarketing potentials and this mutually-beneficial relationship is effective, especially under the framework ofAPEC.[302]
| |
| Tajikistan | SeeRussia–Tajikistan relations Until 2005, Russia had 11,000 border guards manning the Tajik frontier with Afghanistan. In September 2012, and after months of negotiating, Russia and Tajikistan have reached an agreement on what Russia will pay for its bases in Tajikistan and extended the lease to 20 or 29 years. The bases are used for 9,000 Russian troops of the 201st Motor Rifle Division. The new deal with Tajikistan makes it worthwhile for Russia to upgrade the four army camps and one air base they occupy. To get the long lease, Russia agreed to sell Tajikistan weapons and military equipment at a sharp discount and train Tajik officers in Russian schools, for free, for the duration of the deal. Tajikistan also promises to help keep the heroin out of Russia.[303] | |
| Thailand | 1941 | SeeRussia–Thailand relations Russia has an embassy in Bangkok and three honorary consulates inPhuket,Pattaya andKoh Samui. Thailand has an embassy in Moscow and two honorary consulates inSaint Petersburg andVladivostok. |
| Timor-Leste | SeeRussia–Timor-Leste relations Russia was one of the first countries to recognise Timor-Leste's independence and took part in nearly all UN aid programs, providing food and relief personnel, including civil and transport aviation pilots.[304] After the shooting ofJosé Ramos-Horta (former president of Timor-Leste), the Russian ministry said; "The Russian side expresses its concern over the attempt on the life of the Timor-Leste president, and hopes political stability in Timor-Leste will be maintained, as a fundamental condition for a successful solution to the complicated problems it is facing. And in the interests of strengthening national unity and ensuring social and economic development." Russia is represented in Timor-Leste through its embassy inJakarta (Indonesia). | |
| Turkey | SeeRussia–Turkey relations
| |
| Turkmenistan | SeeRussia–Turkmenistan relations
Recently, Russian-Turkmenistan relations have revolved around Russia's efforts to securenatural gas export deals from Turkmenistan. Russia is competing withChina, theEuropean Union,India and theUnited States for access to Turkmenistan's rich supply ofhydrocarbons.[307] The two countries often lock horns over price negotiations for gas exports to Russia.[308][309] Turkmen presidentGurbanguly Berdimuhamedow has agreed to help supply and expand the Russian-backedPricaspiysky pipeline, however no action has yet occurred towards this goal.[310] | |
| United Arab Emirates | December 1971 | SeeRussia–United Arab Emirates relations
|
| Uzbekistan | 1992 | SeeRussia–Uzbekistan relations
|
| Vietnam | 30 January 1950 | SeeRussia–Vietnam relations
|
| Country | Formal relations began | Notes |
|---|---|---|
 European Union | Main article:Russia–European Union relations
| |
| Albania | 7 April 1924 | SeeAlbania–Russia relations
|
| Austria | SeeAustria–Russia relations | |
| Belarus | SeeBelarus–Russia relations orForeign relations of Russia towards Belarus The introduction offree trade between Russia and Belarus in mid-1995 led to a spectacular growth in bilateral trade, which was only temporarily reversed during the1998 Russian financial crisis. PresidentAlexander Lukashenko sought to develop a closer relationship with Russia. The framework for the Union of Russia and Belarus was set out in the Treaty On the Formation of a Community of Russia and Belarus (1996), the Treaty on Russia-Belarus Union, the Union Charter (1997), and the Treaty of the Formation of a Union State (1999). The integration treaties contained commitments tomonetary union,equal rights, single citizenship, and a common defence andforeign policy. | |
| Belgium | SeeBelgium–Russia relations Russia has an embassy inBrussels and a consulate-general inAntwerp, whilst Belgium has anembassy in Moscow and an honorary consulate inSaint Petersburg. | |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | SeeBosnia and Herzegovina–Russia relations Bosnia is one of the countries where Russia has contributed troops for the NATO-led stabilization force.[314] Others were sent to Kosovo and Serbia. | |
| Bulgaria | 1879-07-07 | seeBulgaria–Russia relations
|
| Croatia | 1992-05-25 | SeeCroatia–Russia relations
|
| Czech Republic | SeeCzech Republic–Russia relations
| |
| Denmark | 8 November 1493 | SeeDenmark–Russia relations
|
| Estonia | 2 February 1920 | SeeEstonia–Russia relations andChechen–Estonia relations Russia recognised Estonia via theTartu Peace Treaty on 2 February 1920. Russian-Estonian relations were re-established in January 1991, when presidentsBoris Yeltsin ofRSFSR andArnold Rüütel of the Republic of Estonia met in Tallinn and signed a treaty governing the relations of the two countries after the anticipated independence of Estonia from the Soviet Union.[322][323] The treaty guaranteed the right to freely choose their citizenship for all residents of the formerEstonian SSR. Russia re-recognised the Republic of Estonia on 24 August 1991 after the failedSoviet coup attempt, as one of the first countries to do so. The Soviet Union recognised the independence of Estonia on 6 September. Estonia's ties with Boris Yeltsin weakened since the Russian leader's initial show of solidarity with the Baltic states in January 1991. Issues surrounding the withdrawal of Russian troops from the Baltic republics and Estonia's denial of automatic citizenship to persons who settled in Estonia in 1941-1991 and offspring[324] ranked high on the list of points of contention.
|
| Finland | Main article:Finland–Russia relations Russia has an embassy inHelsinki, and a consulate-general inMariehamn. Finland has an embassy in Moscow. Finland was a part of theRussian Empire for 108 years, after being annexed from the Swedish empire. Discontent with Russian rule, Finnish national identity, and World War I eventually caused Finland to break away from Russia, taking advantage of the fact that Russia was withdrawing from World War I and a revolution was starting in earnest. Following theFinnish Civil War andOctober revolution, Russians were virtually equated with Communists and due to official hostility toCommunism, Finno-Soviet relations in the period between the world wars remained tense. Voluntary activists arranged expeditions toKarelia (heimosodat), which ended when Finland and the Soviet Union signed theTreaty of Tartu in 1920. However, the Soviet Union did not abide by the treaty when they blockaded Finnish naval ships. Finland was attacked by the USSR in 1939. Finland fought theWinter War and theContinuation War against the Soviet Union in World War II. During these wars the Finns suffered 90,000 casualties and inflicted severe casualties on the Russians (120,000 dead in the Winter War and 200,000 in the Continuation War). Contemporary issues include airspace violations and suspectedhybrid warfare by Russia towards Finland. Finland closed itseastern border in late 2023 followingweaponized migration facilitated by Russia.[326] TheFinnish Defence Forces andFinnish Security Intelligence Service have suspected that Russians have made targeted land purchases near military and other sensitive installations for intelligence or special operations purposes.[327][328] Recently, Finland-Russia relations have been all but cut off with theannexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation and theRussian invasion of Ukraine, which Finland considers illegal. Together with the rest of the European Union, Finland enforces sanctions against Russia that followed.[329] | |
| France | SeeFrance–Russia relations_07.jpg) Right after the breakup of the USSR, bilateral relations between France and Russia were initially warm. On 7 February 1992, France signed a bilateral treaty, recognizing Russia as a successor of the USSR. | |
| Germany | SeeGermany–Russia relations | |
| Greece | SeeGreece–Russia relations
| |
| Holy See | 2009 | SeeHoly See–Russia relations. Russia has an embassy in Rome accredited to the Holy See.Holy See–Russia relations are largely linked to ecumenical relations with theRussian Orthodox Church. |
| Hungary | SeeHungary–Russia relations
| |
| Iceland | SeeIceland–Russia relations
| |
| Ireland | SeeIreland–Russia relations
| |
| Italy | SeeItaly–Russia relations Russia has an embassy inRome andconsulates inGenoa,Milan andPalermo, and Italy has anembassy in Moscow, aconsulate inSaint Petersburg, two consulte generals (inEkaterinburg andKaliningrad), and two embassy branches in (Samara andVolgograd). Both countries are full members of theOrganization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. Russia enjoys close relations with Italy. In 2006, Russia and Italy have signed a protocol of cooperation for fighting crime and defending civil liberties. There are close commercial ties between the two countries. Italy is Russia's second important commercial partner in the EU, after Germany. and its state-owned energy company,ENI, has recently signed a very important long-term contract withGazprom, to import Russian gas into Italy. The relationship between Russia and Italy goes back a long way. Already in the 1960s, Italy's FIAT built a car-assembling plant in the Soviet city ofTolyatti (a city named after the Italian Communist Party's secretaryPalmiro Togliatti). Russians have always visited Italy in great numbers. Many Russian students come to Italy each year to study arts and music.[citation needed] Unlike many other Western European countries, Italy has traditionally always maintained good relationships with Russia, even during the Soviet era.[citation needed] In particular, theSilvio Berlusconi Government (2001–2006) strengthened Italy's ties with Russia, due to his personal friendship with PresidentVladimir Putin. Cooperation extends also to the aviation sector, between Italy's Alenia and Russia's Sukhoi, who are jointly developing a new aircraft. Finally, for a long time Italy had the largest communist party in the Western world, with over 2 million members..[332] | |
| Latvia | 1920-10-04 and again 1991-10-04 | SeeLatvia–Russia relations
|
| Liechtenstein | 30 January 1994 | SeeLiechtenstein–Russia relations
|
| Lithuania | 12 July 1920 and again 27 July 1991 | SeeLithuania-Russia relations |
| Netherlands | SeeNetherlands-Russia relations
| |
| Norway | 30 October 1905 | SeeNorway–Russia relations
|
| Poland | SeePoland–Russia relations In recent years, relations with Russia have worsened considerably. Poland responded with strong disapproval towards the2008 Georgian Crisis, in which a military invasion of Georgia was led by Russia. Georgia is a former USSR republic, Poland was a member of the Eastern Bloc, and Poland stated its support for Georgia and condemned Russia's actions. The Polish believed the invasion was carried out by the Russians in an attempt to reestablish and reassert its dominance over its former republics.Since 2009, however, relations with Russia somewhat improved – despite theplane accident where the former Polish president died on what is still considered a controversial event. After theAnnexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation the relations deteriorated again, as Poland strongly condemned Russian actions againstUkraine.
| |
| Portugal | 1779 | SeePortugal–Russia relations
|
| Romania | 1878-10-12 | SeeRomania–Russia relations
|
| Serbia | 1838/1940 | SeeRussia–Serbia relations
Diplomatic relations between theKingdom of Yugoslavia and theSoviet Union were established on 24 June 1940, and Serbia and the Russian Federation recognize the continuity of all inter-State documents signed between the two countries. There are about 70 bilateral treaties, agreements and protocols signed in the past. Serbia and the Russian Federation have signed and ratified 43 bilateral agreements and treaties in diverse areas of mutual cooperation so far.[337] |
| Slovakia | 1993-01-01 | SeeRussia–Slovakia relations
|
| Slovenia | 1992-05-25 | SeeRussia–Slovenia relations
|
| Spain | SeeRussia–Spain relations
| |
| Sweden | SeeRussia–Sweden relations. Both countries had a history of war, and reastablishing diplomatic missions. Russia has an embassy inStockholm and a consulate inGothenburg, and Sweden has anembassy in Moscow and consulates inSaint Petersburg andKaliningrad. | |
| Switzerland | 1816 | SeeRussia–Switzerland relations Switzerland opened a consulate inSaint Petersburg in 1816, upgrading it to a legation 90 years later. The two countries broke off diplomatic relations in 1923, when Russia was going through a period of revolutionary turmoil – and they were not resumed until 1946. Russia has an embassy inBern and a Consulate-General inGeneva. Switzerland has an embassy in Moscow and since 2006, a Consulate-General inSaint Petersburg.
|
| Ukraine | Diplomatic relations severed in February 2022 | SeeRussia–Ukraine relations
|
| United Kingdom | 20 April 1566 | SeeRussia–United Kingdom relations Russia establisheddiplomatic relations with the United Kingdom on 20 April 1566.[342]
In March 2022, the United Kingdom was added to Russia'sunfriendly countries list.[344] Both countries share common membership of theG20, and theOSCE. Bilaterally the two countries have an Investment Agreement.[345] |
| Country | Formal relations began | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | 1942 | SeeAustralia–Russia relations
|
| Nauru | SeeNauru–Russia relations Russia is represented in Nauru through its embassy inCanberra (Australia). Russia's ambassador to AustraliaAlexander Blokhin serves concurrently as Russia's non-resident ambassador to Nauru (as well as toFiji andVanuatu). Nauru's banks are said to have provided services to the mafia in Russia during the 1990s; over the course of the 1990s, approximately 70 billion U.S. dollars owned by Russian mafia were held in Nauru banks.[348] In 2009, Nauru became the fourth country to recognize the states ofAbkhazia andSouth Ossetia, breakaway regions ofGeorgia. Only three other UN member states have done so. Russia was reported to be giving Nauru $50M in humanitarian aid in exchange.[349] | |
| New Zealand | 1943 | SeeNew Zealand–Russia relations
|
| Tonga | 1976 | SeeRussia–Tonga relations The Kingdom of Tonga and theSoviet Union established formal diplomatic relations in 1976. Tonga was the firstPacific Island country to establish relations with the USSR. The USSR was dissolved in 1991 and was succeeded by Russia as the successor state. On 2 October 2005, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Tonga ST T. Tupou exchanged telegrams offering congratulations on the occasion of 30th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between the two nations. In his heads of foreign ministries of Russia and Tonga expressed confidence in further development of Russian-Tongan relations in the interests of the peoples of both countries and strengthen peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region.[350] Russia has a non-resident ambassador based in Canberra, Australia. |
| Vanuatu | 30 June 1986 | SeeRussia–Vanuatu relations orSoviet Union–Vanuatu relations
|
Pew Research Center indicated that (as of 2015) only four surveyed countries have a positive view (50% or above) of Russia. The top ten most approving countries are Vietnam (75%), Ghana (56%), China (51%), South Korea (46%), Lebanon (44%), Philippines (44%), India (43%), Nigeria (39%), Tanzania (38%), Ethiopia (37%), and Uganda (37%). The ten countries with the most negative views of Russia were Pakistan (12%), Turkey (15%), Poland (15%), United Kingdom (18%), Jordan (18%), Ukraine (21%), Japan (21%), United States (22%), Mexico (24%), and Australia (24%). Russians' own view of Russia was overwhelmingly positive at 92%.[352]
Russia is a member of theCommonwealth of Independent States (CIS),Union of Russia and Belarus,Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE),Paris Club, and theNorth Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC). It signed theNATOPartnership for Peace initiative on 22 June 1994. On 20 May 1997, NATO and Russia signed theNATO–Russia Founding Act, which the parties hoped would provide the basis for an enduring and robust partnership between the Alliance and Russia—one that could make an important contribution to European security architecture in the 21st century, though already at the time of its signing doubts were cast on whether this accord could deliver on these ambitious goals.[353]
This agreement was superseded by theNATO–Russia Council that was agreed at theReykjavík Ministerial and unveiled at the Rome NATO Summit in May 2002. On 24 June 1994, Russia and theEuropean Union (EU) signed a partnership and cooperation agreement. European Union imposedsanctions on Russian businesses and individuals in 2014, regarding theannexation of Crimea and alleged support for separatists duringWar in Donbas.[354]
Following theRussian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, non NATO/EU countries felt threatened by Russia with EU candidate status being granted to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine and Moldova in 2022, EU negotiations speeding up for Albania and North Macedonia and Finland joining NATO in 2023 with Sweden joining in 2024.
The non-Russian countries that were once part of the USSR have been termed the 'near abroad' by Russians. More recently, Russian leaders have been referring to all 15 countries collectively as "Post-Soviet Space," while asserting Russian foreign policy interest throughout the region.[355] After the USSR was dissolved by the presidents of Russia,Ukraine andBelarus, Russia tried to regain some sort of influence over the post-Soviet space by creating, on 8 December 1991, aregional organization – theCommonwealth of Independent States. The following years, Russia initiated a set of agreements with thePost-Soviet states which were designed to institutionalize the relations inside the CIS. However, most of these agreements were not fulfilled and the CIS republics began to drift away from Russia, which at that time was attempting to stabilize its broken economy and ties with the West.[356]
One of the major issues which had an influence on the foreign relations of Russia in FSU was the remaining large Russian minority populations in many countries of the near abroad. This issue has been dealt with in various ways by each individual country. They have posed a particular problem in countries where they live close to the Russian border, such as inUkraine andKazakhstan, with some of these Russians calling for these areas to be absorbed into Russia. By and large, however, Russians in the near-abroad do not favor active intervention of Russia into the domestic affairs of neighboring countries, even in defense of the interests of ethnic Russians.[357] Moreover, the threeBaltic states (Estonia,Latvia, andLithuania) have clearly signaled their desire to be outside any claimed Russian sphere of influence, as is reflected by their joining both theNATO alliance and theEuropean Union in 2004.
Close cultural, ethnic and historical links exist between Russia,Belarus and Ukraine. The traditional Russian perspective is that they are one ethnic group, with Russians called 'Great Russians',Belarusians 'White Russians' andUkrainians 'Little Russians'. This manifested itself in lower levels ofnationalism in these areas, particularly Belarus and Ukraine, during the disintegration of the Soviet Union. However, few Ukrainians accept a "younger brother" status relative to Russia[citation needed],[358] and Russia's efforts to insert itself into Ukrainian domestic politics, such as Putin's endorsement of a candidate for the Ukrainian presidency in the last election, are contentious.
.jpg)
Russia maintains its military bases inArmenia,Belarus,Kyrgyzstan, theTransnistria region ofMoldova, the occupied South Ossetia region ofGeorgia andTajikistan.Russia's relationships withGeorgia are at their lowest point in modern history due to theGeorgian-Russian espionage controversy and due to the2008 Russo-Georgian war, Georgia broke off diplomatic relations with Russia and has left theCommonwealth of Independent States.
Russia's relations with Ukraine, since 2013, are also at their lowest point in history as a result of the pro-WesternEuromaidan revolution in Ukraine, theannexation of Crimea and the pro-Russian insurgency in Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Ukraine withdrew from the Commonwealth of Independent States in 2018, with Moldova following in 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Russia maintains diplomatic relations with most countries that were once part of the formerWarsaw Pact, and furthermore,Albania. Russia also continues to maintain friendly relations withCuba as well as third world and non-aligned countries ofAfghanistan,Angola,Benin,Congo,Egypt,Ethiopia,Grenada,Guinea-Bissau,India,Iraq,Mozambique,Serbia and theformer Southern part ofYemen.
Membership in International Organizations:[359]
Russia holds a permanent seat, which grants it veto power, on theSecurity Council of the United Nations (UN). Prior to 1991, theSoviet Union held Russia's UN seat, but, after the breakup of the Soviet Union the Russian government informed the United Nations that Russia will continue the Soviet Union's membership at the United Nations and all other UN organs.
Russia is an active member of numerous UN system organizations, including:
Russia also participates in some of the most important UN peacekeeping missions, including:
Russia also holds memberships in:
Russia has played an important role in helping mediate international conflicts and has been particularly actively engaged in trying to promote a peace following theTransnistrian war and theKosovo conflict and theProposed Russian annexation of South Ossetia. Russia's foreign minister claimed on 25 February 2008 thatNATO and theEuropean Union have been considering using force to keepSerbs from leavingKosovo following the2008 Kosovo declaration of independence.[361]
Russia is a co-sponsor of the Middle East peace process and supports UN and multilateral initiatives in thePersian Gulf,Myanmar,Angola, the formerYugoslavia, andHaiti. Russia is a founding member of theContact Group and (since theDenver Summit in June 1997) a member of theG8. In November 1998, Russia joined theAsia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC). Russia has contributed troops to the NATO-led stabilization force inBosnia and has affirmed its respect for international law and OSCE principles. Russia has accepted UN and OSCE involvement in instances of regional conflict in neighboring countries, including the dispatch of observers to Georgia,Moldova,Tajikistan, and the formerRepublic of Artsakh, where in October 2023 Russian troops failed to withstand the incursion of theAzeri army.
Russia supported, on 16 May 2007, the set up of the international tribunal to try the suspects in the murder of theLebanese Prime Minister,Rafiq Hariri.[362]
_58.jpg)
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link){{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)"At the request of the Central African Republic's president, Russia decided to provide the country with free military aid," he said. According to him, with the consent of the United Nations Security Council committee, the Russian Defense Ministry handed a batch of small arms and ammunition to the armed forces of the Central African Republic and sent five military and 170 civilian instructors to train the country's military servicemen.
Then, in March 2018, the Kremlin issued a statement that 170 "civilian advisors" (widely understood to mean Wagner forces) had arrived in the CAR to train government forces. At the end of July, another 500 alleged Wagner fighters appeared on the Sudan-CAR border.
{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal= (help){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link){{cite news}}:|author= has generic name (help){{cite book}}:|website= ignored (help){{cite book}}:|website= ignored (help)
| .svg) | |||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||
Foreign relations of Asia | |
|---|---|
| Sovereign states |
|
| States with limited recognition | |
| Dependencies and other territories | |
