Ruqayyah Snyder
The Balkans have been a source of tension between Russia and the West for centuries. Russia has long played a leading role in the region, supporting its Slavic and Orthodox Christian allies in Serbia and elsewhere. Austria-Hungary, on the other hand, sought to prevent Russian expansion in the Balkans and opposed Serbian ambitions to dominate a new South Slav federation. The Balkans were also of interest to Austria-Hungary due to their strategic location between Europe and Asia, and the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, as well as their political volatility and nationalist tensions. The region's ample ethnic, political, and social fractures created opportunities for Russia to disrupt the post–Cold War European order and prevent the Western Balkan states from joining the EU and NATO.
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What You'll Learn
- Russia wanted to protect its Slavic and Orthodox Christian allies in the Balkans
- Austria-Hungary wanted to counter Russian expansion in the region
- Russia wanted to prevent Balkan states from joining the EU and NATO
- Austria-Hungary wanted to prevent Serbian domination of a South Slav federation
- Russia wanted to leverage ethnic and religious tensions to its advantage
Russia wanted to protect its Slavic and Orthodox Christian allies in the Balkans
Russia's interest in the Balkans has historically been influenced by its desire to protect its Slavic and Orthodox Christian allies in the region. The Balkans have long been a source of tension between Russia and the West, and Russia has played a significant role in the region's politics.
Russia's support for its Slavic and Orthodox Christian allies in the Balkans can be traced back to the 19th century, when the idea of Pan-Slavism gained traction among the Balkan Slavs, who had been dominated by the Ottomans and Austrians for centuries. The Balkan Slavs viewed Imperial Russia, as the great ""Slavic" power, as a natural ally. In turn, Russia saw them as allies against its rivals, the Ottoman Empire and Austria-Hungary. This mutual alliance was further strengthened by religious ties, as Russia, being an Orthodox nation, shared cultural and religious affinities with the Orthodox Christians in the Balkans, who were treated as second-class citizens under Ottoman rule.
The Russian Empire encouraged and supported the Serbian Revolution from 1804 to 1817, which began as a demand for self-government within the Ottoman Empire and evolved into a war for independence. This revolution became a symbol of the nation-building process in the Balkans, inspiring similar movements in other regions. Russia also invoked its right to protect Orthodox Christians in Turkey, as it contended that the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca granted them this protection. This contention was one of the factors that led to the Crimean War.
In the late 19th century, Russia's intervention in the Balkans became more pronounced, as it sought to secure rights for navigation from the Black Sea into the Mediterranean, a goal that continues to influence its foreign policy today. The Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878 resulted in the independence or autonomy of Christian nations within the Ottoman Empire's Balkan territories. However, the subsequent Treaty of Berlin in 1878, which marked the end of the war, also led to tensions with Austria-Hungary, as Russia created a large independent Bulgaria, infringing upon Austria-Hungary's interests in the region.
In the lead-up to World War I, Russia continued to support its Slavic and Orthodox Christian allies, particularly Serbia, against Bulgaria. Russia's rivalry with Austria-Hungary in the Balkans intensified, and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand further heightened tensions, ultimately contributing to the outbreak of the war.
Even in more recent times, Russia has leveraged its cultural and religious ties in the Balkans to maintain influence. The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), through its extensive activities in the region, has reinforced Kremlin talking points, emphasizing a ""common Slavic and Orthodox heritage" and portraying NATO as a threat to "Orthodox shrines." Russia has also opposed the integration of Balkan countries with the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), aiming to exploit ethnic and religious fault lines to undermine these efforts.
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Austria-Hungary wanted to counter Russian expansion in the region
The Balkans was a region of great geopolitical importance, endowed with rich natural resources and strategic waterways. It was also a complex region with diverse ethnicities, religions, and historical influences. Austria-Hungary's interest in the Balkans stemmed from its desire to counter Russian expansion in the region and protect its own imperial ambitions.
In the late 19th century, the decline of the Ottoman Empire created a power vacuum in the Balkans, which led to the rise of nationalist movements seeking independence. This fuelled regional instability and sparked conflicts as major European powers, including Austria-Hungary and Russia, competed for influence and control. Austria-Hungary sought to reinvigorate its centuries-long policy of expansion at the expense of the weakening Ottoman Empire.
Austria-Hungary's foreign policy was driven by the need to counter Russian influence and expansion in the region. Russia saw itself as the natural leader and protector of the Slavic peoples in the Balkans, which included Serbia, Bulgaria, and Montenegro. The idea of Pan-Slavism, which advocated for the unification of all Slavic peoples, was a significant concern for Austria-Hungary, which feared the rise of a large Slavic state in its vicinity.
To counter Russian influence, Austria-Hungary sought to strengthen its position in the Balkans. It aimed to expand its influence and control over territories such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, which served as a strategic land bridge and provided economic benefits. The annexation of Bosnia in 1908 by Austria-Hungary was a direct attempt to prevent other states, especially Russia, from acquiring influence in the region. This move, however, was viewed with suspicion and resentment by other Balkan states and Russia, further escalating tensions.
Additionally, Austria-Hungary sought to turn southern Slav nationalism into a pro-Austrian movement. It wanted to prevent Serbia, a traditional Russian ally, from becoming a rallying cry for the Slavic elements within its own empire. By settling disputes with Serbia through foreign wars, Austria-Hungary aimed to release internal pressures and maintain control over its diverse ethnic population.
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Russia wanted to prevent Balkan states from joining the EU and NATO
The Balkans have been a source of tension between Russia and the West for centuries. Russia has long played a leading role in the region, supporting its Slavic and Orthodox Christian allies in Serbia and elsewhere. Russia sees itself as the natural leader and protector of the Slavic peoples in the area. As such, it feels honour-bound to stick up for other Slavic peoples.
Russia's primary goal in the Balkans is to slow down, if not stop, Balkan states from integrating into the EU and, especially, NATO. Moscow seeks to leverage simmering tensions to block those efforts. Russia's approach centres on finding low-cost or asymmetrical means of slowing the Balkans' integration into Western institutions while deepening ties with Serbia and Serb groups throughout the region. It seeks to exploit regional cleavages and amplify tensions between ethnic and religious communities.
Russia's influence in the Balkans is not limited to soft power. Montenegro, for instance, possessed the last non-NATO ports on the Adriatic Sea before it joined the alliance in 2017. In Serbia, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced several high-level bilateral trade, investment, and cooperation agreements in January 2019.
Russia's willingness to aggravate and prolong political instability in select Balkan countries appears geared towards undermining, or at least delaying, their prospects for integration into the EU and NATO. Russian diplomats have threatened Bosnia-Herzegovina with all kinds of disasters if the country joins NATO. Moscow's efforts in the Balkans focus primarily on Serbia, the one country without formal aspirations to join NATO, and the Republika Srpska.
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Austria-Hungary wanted to prevent Serbian domination of a South Slav federation
The rivalry between Austria-Hungary and Russia in the Balkans was underpinned by their shared imperialist and multi-ethnic state nature. The two countries' foreign policies clashed in the Balkans, with Russia desiring to block Austria-Hungary's expansion in the region. Russia saw itself as the protector of the Slavic peoples in the area, including those in Austria-Hungary.
Secondly, the Serbian nationalist movement posed a significant threat to Austria-Hungary's dominance in the region. Serbian nationalists, such as Gavrilo Princip and his cohorts, strongly opposed Austrian rule and advocated for a Great Serbia or a South Slav Federal State outside of Austria-Hungary's influence. They believed that Archduke Franz Ferdinand, whom they assassinated, was a "tyrant" who aimed to conquer Serbia. This assassination served as a catalyst for Austria-Hungary to pursue a hard-line policy towards Serbia, with the support of its allies in Berlin.
Thirdly, Austria-Hungary sought to maintain its prestige and position in the Balkans. If its prestige was not restored, its position in the region could be irreparably damaged, encouraging further irredentism by Serbia and Romania. This could potentially lead to the dismemberment of Austria-Hungary, which was an outcome that Germany wanted to avoid as it was their only ally.
Finally, Austria-Hungary's ethnic situation with Serbia was complicated. Serbia's potential domination of a South Slav federation could exacerbate these complexities and further threaten Austria-Hungary's dominance in the region.
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Russia wanted to leverage ethnic and religious tensions to its advantage
Russia and Austria-Hungary were both imperialist, multi-ethnic states with rival interests in the Balkans. The region was under the weak control of the Ottoman Empire, which was in decline, and both Russia and Austria-Hungary wanted to expand their influence and territories there.
Russia's expansionist policies in the Balkans were driven by its desire to establish a 'Greater Bulgarian Empire' as a satellite state in the eastern Balkans. It also wanted to capture the Dardanelles from Turkey. Russia's intervention in the Balkans was aimed at driving out the Ottomans and establishing a pro-Russian regime in the region.
Austria-Hungary, on the other hand, wanted to strengthen its position as a regional power in the western Balkans and turn southern Slav nationalism into a pro-Austrian movement. It also wanted to prevent Serbia from becoming a regional power and a rallying cry for the Slavic elements within the Austrian Empire.
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Frequently asked questions
Austria-Hungary wanted to expand its influence in the Balkans and saw the region as a way to do this. The annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1908 was an example of this.
Russia wanted to support its Slavic and Orthodox Christian allies in the region, particularly in Serbia. Russia also wanted to prevent the Balkan states from joining the EU and NATO.
The Balkan Wars fuelled Serbian nationalism, which was a threat to the stability of Austria-Hungary. This led to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914, which served as a pretext for Austria-Hungary to crush Serbian nationalism.
The Balkan region was occupied by the Ottoman Empire and was sandwiched between the Austro-Hungarian and Russian empires. The location of the Balkans made the region strategically important and a source of tension between the Great Powers.
Russia's influence in the Balkans has been impacted by the war in Ukraine. Some Balkan governments have distanced themselves from Moscow, but progress on EU accession remains slow.
