Belgium–Russia relations

File:Vladimir Putin in Belgium 1-2 October 2001-8.jpg Vladimir Putin with former King Albert II, and spouses, whilst on a state visit in Brussels in October 2001.]]

High level contacts between Belgium and Russia began in the early 18th century, when Peter the Great visited the Southern Netherlands in 1717. Amongst towns he visited were Brussels and Spa.{{cite book|last=Bogue|first=David|title=Belgium and the Rhine|publisher=D. Bogue|location=London|year=1852|pages=[https://archive.org/details/belgiumandrhine00bogugoog/page/n86 74]–75|chapter=Chief town in Belgium and on the route of the Rhine|url=https://archive.org/details/belgiumandrhine00bogugoog|access-date=2009-03-31}} Peter left his mark in Spa, when he built an edifice with a portico over the main spring, which the locals renamed in his honour as Pouhon Pierre-le-Grand.{{cite book|last=Chambers|first=William|title=A tour in Switzerland in 1841|publisher=W. & R. Chambers|location=Edinburgh|year=1842|pages=8|chapter=Spa to Cologne|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yc3z68i6IxkC|access-date=2009-03-31}}{{cite book|last=Logan|first=Leanne|author2=Cole, Geert|title=Belgium & Luxembourg|publisher=Lonely Planet|year=2007|edition=3rd|pages=255|chapter=The Ardennes|isbn=978-1-74104-237-5|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PhfWmUsaOB4C|access-date=2009-03-31}} Diplomatic relations were established between Belgium and the Russian Empire in 1853,{{cite book|last=Lemon|first=Mark |author2=Mayhew, Henry |author3=Taylor, Tom |author4=Brooks, Shirley |author5=Cowley Burnand, Francis |author6=Seaman, Owen |title=Punch|publisher=Punch Publications Ltd.|location=London|year=1853|volume=XXIV|pages=211|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ISxXAAAAMAAJ|access-date=2009-03-23}} when Mikhail Irineyevich Khreptovich was appointed as the first envoy of the Russian Empire in Brussels on 19 March 1853.{{cite web|url=http://whp057.narod.ru/rossi-m12.htm|script-title=ru:Представители Российской Империи В Других Странах|publisher=Worldwide Historical Project|access-date=2009-03-31|language=ru|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928125642/http://whp057.narod.ru/rossi-m12.htm|archive-date=2011-09-28}}

In 2004, trade between the two countries totalled €4.75 billion, an increase of €1.18 billion over the previous year, with Russia holding a trade surplus of €1.51 billion in bilateral trade. Russian exports to Belgium were mainly commodities, including minerals (37%), precious and semi-precious stones (22%), ferrous and non-ferrous metals (17%) and chemical products (8%). Russian imports from Belgium were composed of industrial equipment (25%), chemicals and pharmaceuticals (18%), plastic products and rubber (9%), food (8%) and transportation (8%). In 2004, Belgium imported 30% of its oil and natural gas from Russia, although mainly spot market.{{cite web|url=http://www.mid.ru/ns-reuro.nsf/348bd0da1d5a7185432569e700419c7a/f95baa04c4cd217ec32570900045605c?OpenDocument|script-title=ru:Российско-бельгийские отношения|date=4 October 2005|publisher=Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs|access-date=2009-03-31|language=ru}}

File:Moscow, Khlebny Lane 15, Embassy of Belgium.jpg

After the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine started, Belgium, as one of the EU countries, imposed sanctions on Russia, and Russia added all EU countries to the list of "unfriendly nations".{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Michael |title=Here are the nations on Russia's 'unfriendly countries' list |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/here-are-the-nations-on-russia-s-unfriendly-countries-list-1.5810483 |work=CTV News |date=8 March 2020}} Belgium joined other countries in spring 2022 in declaring a number of Russian diplomats Persona non grata.

{{portal|Russia}}

• Foreign relations of Belgium
• Foreign relations of Russia
• Russians in Belgium

{{reflist}}

• {{cite journal |last1=Löwenhardt |first1=John |title=Traders, Crusaders, and Cruise Missiles: Soviet Foreign Policy toward the Low Countries |journal=The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science |date=1985 |volume=481 |pages=41–50 |doi=10.1177/0002716285481001004 |jstor=1045132 |s2cid=154819290 |issn=0002-7162}}

{{commons category|Relations of Belgium and Russia}}

• [https://russia.diplomatie.belgium.be Embassy of Belgium in Moscow]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080524062638/http://www.belgium.mid.ru/ Embassy of the Russian Federation in Brussels]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20140618174201/http://www.russian-consulate-antwerp.be/ Consulate-General of the Russian Federation in Antwerp]

{{Foreign relations of Russia|Europe}}

{{Foreign relations of Belgium}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Belgium-Russia relations}}

Russia

Category:Bilateral relations of Russia