Nezavisimyy issledovatel'
Russian Federation
The article examines the actions of Russian diplomacy in relations with Bulgaria and Romania in 1912-13. The conducted research allows us to interpret these actions as support for Romanian territorial claims to Bulgaria, and then the Romanian readiness to intervene in the 2nd Balkan War on the side of Bulgaria's opponents. The reasons that led to such decisions by Foreign Minister S. Sazonov and his patron Nicholas II are revealed. The main motive of Russian diplomacy is revealed: to prevent damage to Russia's interests due to Romanian-Bulgarian contradictions, but on the contrary, to use these contradictions to their advantage. On this basis, combinations with a Bulgarian territorial sacrifice in favor of the Romanians arose. But an analysis of the consequences shows that the calculations for benefit turned out to be ephemeral. In reality, these combinations contributed to the deterioration of relations with Bulgaria and the negative development of the general Balkan situation for Russia, which led to serious complications during the soon-to-follow First World War. This gives grounds to consider the combination a mistake by the Russian leadership, which took the wrong methods to advance Russia's interests in the Balkan knot of international relations.
Russian diplomacy, Balkan knot, Russian-Bulgarian relations, S. Sazonov, Second Balkan War, Southern Dobrudja
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