Више од два века српско-руских дипломатских односа

Abstract

Since December 1804 and 1805, Russia has sought to establish a direct link with Serbian insurgents. This created the conditions for the establishment of diplomatic relations, which were reflected in communication through special delegations (deputations), and by the time of the appointment of permanent diplomatic clerks. The fact is that the first Russain diplomat who stayed in Serbia for a long time was Konstantin Konstantinovic Rodofinikin. Historically observed Russian-Serbian relations this year mark the tradition of 211 years (1807-2018), since in 1807 there was a Serbian state with all the essential elements – territory, people and power. The establishment of the Russian consular representation in the Principality of Serbia did not come in 1838, as it is thought today, but on September 15, 1839, when the Ottoman Empire was acquired by firman and berat. Vaschenko then became the first Serbian Consul General. Since the restoration of the modern-day Serbian statehood from the beginning of the 19th century to its cessation in 1918, we can divide diplomatic relations between Serbia and Russia in several stages. The first coincides with the war period of the Serbian Revolution from 1804 to 1815. Given the military, diplomatic and political cooperation between Serbia and Russia, this was one of the most productive periods in the 19th century. Russia disclosed its patronage over Serbia, basing it at the 8th point of the Bucharest Peace Treaty between Russia and Turkey in 1812. The second phase refers to the acquisition of the autonomous status of the Principality of Serbia within the Ottoman Empire and extends until 1856. Russia established the undisputed right of patronage reflected in its guarantees to Serbian autonomy. Serbia then became the object of the international obligations of the Ottoman Empire. At this stage, we recorded two periods – one from 1815 to 1835, and another from 1835 to 1856. The third phase of diplomatic SerbianRussian relations coincides with the return of Obrenovic to the throne, firstly Miloš (1858-1860), and Mihailo (1860-1868). It extends until 1880 and can be divided into two parts: the first ends with the tragic death of Prince Mihalo. Diplomatic Serbo-Russian relations mark their golden days during the second rule of Prince Mihailo. Serbian-Turkish Wars 1876-1878 and Russian-Turkish War 1877-1878 ended with the Congress in Berlin in 1878, in which Serbia’s independence and territorial expansion were recognized. The backbone of the Serbian-Russian misunderstandings was the Russian project of Great Bulgaria from 1878 that did not survived, but remained a constant threat to Serbian national aspirations. The future of not only Serbia but the entire Western Balkans became issue of common European importance. The fourth phase begins with the rebuilt Three Caesars’ Alliance in 1881 (Germany, Austro-Hungary, Russia) and the Austro-Serbian Secret Convention and ends in 1903. In this period, diplomatic Serbian-Russian relations fell to the lowest possible scale. They were burdened with foreign political affairs, internal political affairs, personal issues of Serbian kings Milan and Aleksandar, as well as inadequate appearances and inactivity of Russian diplomatic representatives in Serbia. The fifth and the last phase in the Serbian-Russian relations include the period from 1903 to 1918, when the Kingdom of Serbia and Imperial Russia disappeared almost simultaneously. In the changed international circumstances, and due to the new divisions from the beginning of the 20th century, diplomatic relations between Serbia and Russia have improved. As a result of the pressure of Austro-Hungary, Serbia sought to find a shelter in Russia and its allies, France and the United Kingdom. In Russia’s official circles, Serbia was seen as an important ally, “the only state in the Balkans in which Russia has faith.” Russia then became the main foreign political ally of Serbia, and the Emperor was respected as a protector of the Serbian people. The Kingdom of Yugoslavia did not maintain diplomatic relations with the USSR until June 1940. After the brief cooperation and action of the Red Army in Yugoslavia, in the liberation of Belgrade and Serbia in 1944, in 1948 there was a serious friction between the two countries. At the end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century, when Vladimir Putin came to power (especially since the second term in 2004) we can see and affirmed a positive attitude towards Serbia, which was immediately followed by the revival of diplomatic relations and the appointment of ambassador Aleksandar A. Alekseyev in Belgrade. Since then, diplomatic, but also economic, political and military relations between the two countries are progressing ever more.

Познавање и разумевање српско-руских односа како у 19. тако и у 20. веку можемо сматрати исто толико културном и друштвеном потребом савременог човека на овим просторима, поред њихових других важних димензија – научне, дипломатске, геостратешке. Све су битне за креирање и позиционирање српских државних циљева у будућности. Рад је посвећен српско-руским односима од када су успостављене дипломатске везе 1807. године доласком у Србију К. К. Родофиникина, па до престанка српске државности 1918. године. У тим хронолошким оквирима уочено је пет фаза, од којих је свака имала своје особености и дубоке рефлексије на обнову, уређење и међународни положај модерне српске државе.