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Liechtenstein–Russia relations

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Foreign relations between Russia and it's predecessors with Liechtenstein date back to the Napoleonic wars. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 30 January 1994.[1] Since then, relations between the two countries have been distant, with Liechtenstein condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Liechtensteiner–Russian relations
Map indicating locations of Liechtenstein and Russia

Liechtenstein
Russia

Russia does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein, but there is a honorary consulate located in Vaduz. The Russian ambassador to Switzerland, located in Bern, is also accredited to Liechtenstein. Similarly, the Swiss embassy in Moscow also represents Liechtenstein.

History

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Napoleonic wars

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In the War of the First Coalition, Liechtenstein, as part of the Holy Roman Empire contributed approximately 20 troops to the coalition forces from 1793 to 1796. In the War of the Second Coalition and War of the Fifth Coalition the country became an area of conflict and transit between France, Austria and Russia.[2]

After the Battle of Leipzig in October 1813, the Confederation of the Rhine, of which Liechtenstein was a member, collapsed. Liechtenstein sent a contingent of 80 men, which was incorporated into the army of the Grand Duchy of Baden, but did not see action.[3]

Relations (1815–1914)

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See also: Purchase of Alaska

Liechtenstein under Austria, Russia and Prussia was a member of the Holy Alliance, in which all three members guaranteed Liechtenstein's sovereignty in 1815.[4]

In 1867 Alexander II of Russia had offered Johann II, Prince of Liechtenstein to purchase Russian Alaska, but he refused as he believed the territory was useless.[5][6]

From 1894 to 1898 Franz, then heir presumptive of his brother, Johann II, served as Austrian Ambassador in Russia and became a Knight of the Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky and Order of St. Andrew, the highest order in Russia.[7][8]

World War I

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Russia sided with the Entente countries during World War I.[9] Though Liechtenstein remained neutral throughout the conflict, it retained close ties to Austria-Hungary and was sympathetic to the Central Powers.[10]

At the outbreak of the war, Russia interred Liechtensteiners and partially confiscated their assets within the country. Liechtenstein was embargoed by the Entente from 1916 to the end of the war.[11] During the war the Russian Empire collapsed, and was eventually replaced with the Soviet Union in 1922.

World War II

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Monument to the First Russian National Army in Hinterschellenberg, Liechtenstein.
See also: Liechtenstein in World War II and Soviet Union in World War II

Liechtenstein remained neutral throughout World War II, and its neutrality was not violated by any of the combatants. The Soviet Union had been on the side of the Allies since 1941.

Just before the end of the war, Franz Joseph II, Prince of Liechtenstein granted political asylum to First Russian National Army pro-Axis pro-emperor Vladimir White emigres led by General Boris Smyslovsky, who were being cared for by the Liechtenstein Red Cross.[12] On 16 August 1945, the Soviet Union sent a delegation to Liechtenstein in an attempt to repatriate the Russians, which was refused despite increasing Soviet pressure to participate in the repatriation program.[13] Eventually the government of Argentina offered the Russians asylum, and about a hundred people left.[12] This is commemorated by a monument at the border town of Hinterschellenberg which is marked on the country's tourist map.

Cold war (1945–1991)

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In the early stages of the Cold War, relations between Liechtenstein and the Soviet Union became tense due to the refusal to extradite the remnants of the First Russian National Army.[14]

Liechtenstein was neutral during the Cold War, but sided with the West ideologically, politically and economically. The nuclear threat has led to the expansion of civil defence since the 1960s in Liechtenstein. In 1964–1965, the Liechtenstein government built a command bunker with protection against nuclear bombs in Vaduz. Liechtenstein condemned the suppression of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 and the 1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia. Liechtenstein boycotted the Olympic Games twice- in 1956 in Melbourne in protest against the suppression of the Hungarian revolution and again in 1980 in Moscow due to the Soviet war in Afghanistan.[15]

During the dissolution of the Soviet Union, huge quantities of Soviet currency and gold reserves were transferred to Liechtenstein.[16]

Liechtenstein and the Russian Federation

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Vladimir Putin with Eduard von Falz-Fein in 2001.

Russia and Liechtenstein established formal diplomatic relations for the first time on 30 January 1994.[1] Russia opened a honorary consulate in Vaduz in 2006. Former Prime Minister of Liechtenstein, Markus Büchel became Honorary Consul of Russia in Liechtenstein in 2002.[17] Russian-born Liechtensteiner Eduard von Falz-Fein played an important role in establishing economic relations between the two countries throughout the 2000s.[18][19]

Liechtenstein does not recognise the Russian annexation of Crimea and participated in the international sanctions against Russia in 2014.[20][21]

In the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Liechtenstein condemned the invasion and applied EU sanctions against Russia, in return Russia declared the country as "taking unfriendly actions against Russia, Russian companies, and citizens".[22][23][24][25][26] Liechtenstein has sent 500,000 CHF worth humanitarian aid to Ukraine and a subsequent loan of an additional 1.8 million CHF in February 2022 aimed at assisting those displaced as a result of the war, greatly decreasing the relations between Liechtenstein and Russia.[24][27]

High level visits and diplomatic meetings

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Prince Alois of Liechtenstein comments on the Russian invasion of Ukraine". 28 February 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  2. ^ Wanner, Gerhard (31 December 2011). "Koalitionskriege". Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (in German). Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  3. ^ Wanner, Gerhard (31 December 2011). "Befreiungskriege". Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (in German). Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  4. ^ Heinz Dopsch, Roland Steinacher (31 December 2011). "Österreich". Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (in German). Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  5. ^ Langer, Matthias (2019). Das Fürstentum Liechtenstein (in German). pp. 1–18. ISBN 978-3-658-27091-9.
  6. ^ ИноСМИ (21 December 2019). "Русская Америка на продажу: как и почему Россия продала Аляску США за бесценок?". ИноСМИ.Ru (in Russian). Archived from the original on 24 December 2021. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
  7. ^ "Prince Franz Liechtenstein". The Times. 19 October 1894. p. 3. Archived from the original on 21 April 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Prince Franz von Liechtenstein The Hall of Holography Collection".[permanent dead link‍]
  9. ^ Torkunov, Anatoly V.; Martyn, Boris F.; Wohlforth, William C. (8 January 2020). History of International Relations and Russian Foreign Policy in the 20th Century (Volume I). Cambridge Scholars. ISBN 9781527545021.
  10. ^ Weltkrieg, Erster (31 December 2011). "Erster Weltkrieg". Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (in German). Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  11. ^ Marxer, Roland (31 December 2011). "Neutralität". Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (in German). Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  12. ^ a b ARGENTINA: Last of the Wehrmacht – Monday, Apr. 13, 1953 Archived 23 August 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  13. ^ Tolstoy, Nikolai (1977). The Secret Betrayal. Charles Scribner's Sons. ISBN 0-684-15635-0.
  14. ^ Trefilov, Aleksandr (2020). The Development of the Criminal Procedure in the Principality of Liechtenstein. Moscow: Institute of Legislation and Comparative Law under the Government of the Russian Federation. p. 114.
  15. ^ Büchel, Donat (31 December 2011). "Kalter Krieg". Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (in German). Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  16. ^ Trefilov, Aleksandr (2020). The Development of the Criminal Procedure in the Principality of Liechtenstein. Moscow: Institute of Legislation and Comparative Law under the Government of the Russian Federation. p. 115.
  17. ^ "Jaderný mezisklad v Temelíně "staví" ruský konzul" (in Czech). iDNES.cz. 17 September 2009. Retrieved 13 May 2010.
  18. ^ "Russian-born art patron turns 100". Voice of Russia. 14 September 2012. Archived from the original on 20 May 2013. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  19. ^ Колбасин, Виталий (2018-11-27). "Последний аристократ. Жизнь и смерть русского барона Фальц-Фейна на чужбине". AiF (in Russian). Retrieved 2023-09-28.
  20. ^ "Порошенко у Давосі провів "історичну зустріч" (in Ukrainian). 17 January 2017. Archived from the original on 2017-01-18.
  21. ^ "Vaduz: Frick hofft auf friedliche Krim-Lösung". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2014-03-08.
  22. ^ "Liechtenstein verurteilt die russische Aggression gegen die Ukraine" [Liechtenstein condemns Russian aggression against Ukraine]. regierung.li (in German). 24 February 2022. Archived from the original on 25 February 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  23. ^ "Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the alignment of certain third countries with Council Decision 2014/658/CFSP amending Council Decision 2014/145/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine" (PDF). Council of the European Union. 15 October 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 June 2015. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  24. ^ a b "Regierung beschliesst Nachvollzug von Sanktionen und gibt IHZE Gelder frei". medienportal.regierung.li. 25 February 2022. Archived from the original on 21 September 2023. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  25. ^ "Prince Alois of Liechtenstein comments on the Russian invasion of Ukraine". Royal Central. 28 February 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  26. ^ "Russia issues list of countries, considering their 'unfriendly actions'". Anadolu Agency. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  27. ^ "Sonderseite Ukraine". Regiferung Des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (in German). Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  28. ^ "Biedermeier from the Collections of the Prince of Liechtenstein". Mutual Art. 15 September 2009.
  29. ^ "Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Titov Meets with Lichtenstein Minister of Foreign Affairs, Justice and Culture Aurelia Frick". The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. 14 September 2009. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  30. ^ "Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's greetings to participants and guests of the first conference of Honorary Consuls of Russia in Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein and Switzerland". The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. 14 June 2019. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
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