Relations between Russia and the Netherlands date from those distant times when the system of European political , trade and other relations itself was being formed.
     Looking at the continuous course of history it is sometimes difficult to find the required point of reference from which it would be possible to begin the account of history of relations between Russia and any other state. As far as the relations with the Netherlands are concerned the most popular assumption in both countries does not go beyond the stay of Peter I in Holland. However, the history of the Russian-Dutch relations is much richer.
     Judging by historical documents the trade links between the Russians and the Dutch existed already around the year 1000. The trade ways passed along huge Russian rivers from the Baltic sea in the North to the Caspian and the Black seas in the South. Some treasures found by archeologists in these places contain, for example, Frisian coins.
     Already in the XIII century the inhabitants of such Dutch cities as Amsterdam, Brugge, Gent, Antwerp, Middelburg and Stavoren consumed bread baked from Russian and Polish grain, although the Dutch knew very little about Russia and Russians at that time.
     Regular contacts with Holland began in the times of Ivan the Terrible when the Dutch merchants came to Arkhangelsk for the first time. At that time they drew the first maritime maps which helped navigators to find the way to Russia. The Dutch went to Russia to buy all sorts of products that Russian seas, rivers, forests and fields could provide. They were buying Russian flax, furs, wheat, oats, millet, pea, hemp, timber etc. In 1640 the Amsterdam company “Bontemantel” headed by the future Burgomaster of Amsterdam Andries Bickerweg (the street where the Russian Embassy is situated was named after him) provided such big advances to buy Russian furs that in 1641 it completely disappeared from the market.
     At that time the Dutch navigators seriously discussed the possibility of going along the northern coast of Norway and Russia to China and India. This task was assigned to Willem Barentz who undertook three expeditions (1594-1597). During the third one (1596-1597) Barentz, who was the chief navigation officer, drew a detailed map of Novaya Zemlya and compiled the weather diaries. Because of impassable ice the Dutch had to stay for the winter on Novaya Zemlya. In summer 1597 they left the ship blocked in ice and on two boats took the way back during which Barentz died.
     First official contacts between the two states were made in the beginning of the XVII century. In 1613 the Russian Envoys Stepan Ushakov and Semen Zaborovsky were sent to the Netherlands to hand over the deeds from the Russian tsar Mikhail Fedorovitch to Prince Moritz, where the tsar notified the Prince about his ascending the throne and asked for help against Poland.
     Since then both parties have periodically made efforts to enhance their relations. Thus, in 1615 during the Polish-Swedish intervention the Netherlands offered its mediation to Russia. The Dutch mission which arrived in Novgorod contributed to the conclusion of peace with Sweden.
     In order to establish solid relations with the Netherlands tsar Aleksei Mikhailovitch in 1646 sent there Plenipotentiary Ambassadors Ilya Miloslavskyi and Ivan Baibakov. During this period the sides regularly exchanged temporary diplomatic missions. Further development of the Russian-Dutch relations necessitated mutual establishment of permanent diplomatic missions.
     As far back as 1631 the Dutch General States were allowed to have their permanent representative in Russia but they took advantage of this right only in 1678. Jogann van Keller became permanent representative in Moscow (the third after the Swedish and the Polish ambassadors).
     In 1696 the young tsar Peter I decided to send to the Netherlands, England, Venice and Austria an embassy consisting of 200 people, which was called the “Great”. He went himself incognito with the embassy with the papers of non-commissioned officer Peter Mikhailov. It was the first time in history when the Russian tsar traveled abroad. The tsar’s incognito was observed in protocol terms but he was easily recognizable by his tall figure and face tic.
     The ambassadors proposed to form an alliance with the Netherlands and other Christian countries against Turkey and expressed their readiness to create favourable conditions for the Dutch merchants in Russia. Besides, they asked for assistance in building 40 war ships and more than 100 galleys which were supposed to be used against the Turkish fleet.
     The General States replied that they could give neither money, nor arms - being afraid of threatening their trade with the Near East through the Mediterranean sea controlled by the Turks. The mission of the “Great Embassy” could not be accomplished also because of the oncoming war for the “Spanish legacy” which had divided Europe in two camps. The official goal was not achieved. The Netherlands preferred to stay neutral.
     Nevertheless there were other successful achievements. During the “Great Embassy” stay the Dutch merchants used all the possibilities to obtain the improvement of trade conditions with Russia and to receive from the tsar the right to trade with Persia and China through Russia. Peter I and other ten Russians were allowed to study carpentry (very important at that time) at the shipyard of the East-Indian company for three months. However, the stay of Peter I at the shipyard of the East-Indian company is less known than his stay in Zaandam where he knew many workers who were in Russia before and assisted in building ships.
     The permanent diplomatic mission of Russia in the Netherlands, headed by Andrei Artamonovitch Matveev, was established in 1699. Developing bilateral relations served mutual interests of Russia and Holland helping them to obtain firm positions on the political map of Europe.
     During the times of Peter I cultural and scientific relations between the two countries developed considerably. Peter I initiated the creation of art collections in Russia since he highly appreciated Dutch and Flemish painting. At that time translation of Dutch books helped to disseminate knowledge about achievements in culture, science and technology.
     The experience Peter I obtained abroad and, in particular in the Netherlands, has played an invaluable role in carrying out large-scale reforms in Russia.
     Peter I encouraged the study of the Dutch language which played at that time in the Baltic states the same role as English now. The Russian language absorbed a lot of Dutch words - mainly maritime terms - for example “reis”, “reid”, “iceberg”, “drift” etc.
     The development of the Russian-Dutch relations continued under Catherine I. The trade with Holland through Arkhangelsk gained momentum.
     The 80-s of the XVIII century were marked by considerable rapprochement between Russia and the Netherlands. This was much due to the peaceful initiative of the Russian government to create a league of neutral states to defend commercial navigation.
     Catherine II continued to buy Dutch and Flemish paintings, including Rembrandt (“Saint family” and others), F.Hals, J. van Ruysdal, J. van Goyen etc.
     In 1795 French troops invaded the Netherlands and this ended staathouder power and led to the proclamation of the Batave Republic. In 1799 Russia, Austria and England attacked French in Switzerland, Italy and the Batave Republic. The united English-Russian troops disembarked on the Netherlands sea coast and took Den Helder and Bergen.
     However, about one week after the English troops disembarked, the French-Dutch troops began their offensive. The English found themselves in a critical situation, but at this moment the Russian infantry started disembarking and without even having time for reconnaissance of the local terrain, counterattacked at once. In history this event is known as the Bergen battle. During this battle the allies succeeded to throw back the adversary and the Russian troops took Bergen. To commemorate Russian soldiers who perished at Bergen a monument was built in 1901 – “the Russian cross”, as local inhabitants call it.
     The Dutch highly appreciated the participation of Russian troops in the liberation of the Netherlands from Napoleon in 1813 and restoration of national independence. In 1814 Alexander I visited Amsterdam and was welcomed as liberator. The Russian Emperor played an important role in the restoration of the sovereign state of the Netherlands – first, as a military commander and then during negotiations with other Great powers.
     The Anna Paulovna town also reminds of the history of the Russian-Dutch relations. It was named in honour of the Russian Grand Duchess – daughter of Paul I, younger sister of Emperor Alexander I. In February 1816 she married the Dutch Crown Prince Willem Oranje who later became King Willem II. The future monarch was already known in Europe as one of the heroes of the Waterloo battle. It is not accidentally that the great Russian poet A.S.Pushkin, yet being a student, was requested by Empress Maria Fedorovna to write a poem dedicated to festivities to mark the departure from Russia of Crown Prince Willem and Grand Duchess Anna Paulovna on June 6, 1816 and also to glorify his exploits at Waterloo. For this poem “To Prince Oranje” the poet was awarded a gold watch with chain.
     Anna Paulovna gave birth to three sons. One of them, Willem, later became the King of the Netherlands. And when the second son – Alexander – was born, his mother on this occasion received a present from her father-in-law – King Willem I – the house where Peter I lived during his stay in Zaandam. Anna Paulovna passed away in 1865 at the age of 70. The Dutch loved their Russian Queen. A square, one of the streets in The Hague and a town in the North of Holland were named after her.
     In 1837 the relations with the Netherlands were soured by the death of A.S.Pushkin who was killed in a duel by the stepson of the Dutch Envoy Baron Van Gekkeren. The Baron had to leave Russia.
     In September 1846 Russia and the Netherlands signed the Treaty on Trade and Navigation. The Treaty for the first time in legal terms established the most-favoured-nation principle in trade relations between the two countries. By that time the Netherlands were the third (after Germany and England) trade partner of Russia.
     In 1899 on the initiative of Nicholas II the First International Peace Conference took place in The Hague where representatives from more than 60 countries gathered at one table. The tsar’s choice was motivated by the traditional ties that existed between the two countries. Russian delegate baron Stahl chaired the conference, while the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs W.G. de Beaufort was the honorary chairman. Russia and the Netherlands cooperated closely during preparation and work of the 1st and 2nd Peace Conferences in The Hague, which aimed at elaboration of multilateral agreements in the field of ensuring peace and limitation of armaments. The 3rd Peace Conference named “First International Peace Conference Centennial” which was held in The Hague and St.-Petersburg in May-June 1999, was also marked by active cooperation of the two countries.
     At the end of the XIX - beginning of the XX centuries relations between Russia and the Netherlands had markedly friendly nature. The parties always searched for agreement and did not miss any opportunity to stress the traditionally friendly relations that had existed between the two countries for many years.
     Russia took a friendly position towards Holland in its dispute with Belgium in 1890. Russia’s impartial position in the dispute between France and the Netherlands in 1891 on the delimitation of the French property in Guiana and the Dutch colony in Surinam, that infringed on the essential interests of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, won gratitude of the Dutch as well.
     During WWI the Dutch government strictly followed the policy of neutrality in respect of all warring parties, although feelings of sympathy for Russia were expressed even at that time, in particular in the form of collection of funds for the wounded Russian military and equipment of a hospital for despatch to Russia.
     After the October Revolution of 1917 in Russia the bilateral relations sharply deteriorated, and after the execution of the tsar’s family which had strong ties with the Oranje royal dynasty they were broken off.
     In the 1920-s many Dutch people who sympathised with the Soviets participated in the development of Kuzbass. Some of them were subsequently subjected to reprisals and found themselves in Stalin’s camps. Mr. T.S.Straub wrote a book which narrates the life of the Dutch people in the Urals and Siberia in the 1920-s. Despite the complete lack of political contacts, trade and economic relations kept somehow developing.
     After the start of WWII and the occupation of the Netherlands in May 1940, the Dutch government moved to London. The position of the Netherlands towards the USSR began to change since the countries were now bound by a common goal - defeating Germany. On July 10, 1942 the USSR established diplomatic relations with the government of the Netherlands in exile. It is quite symbolic that during the battle of Stalingrad, which marked the turning-point in the war, the 6th German army, that had occupied the Netherlands in 1940, was defeated.
     After the war the relations deteriorated again. In 1946 the USSR was trying to draw the world community’s attention to the Indonesia issue. That year was marked by a considerable increase in the Dutch military presence in the colony. The USSR’s reaction was sharply negative.
     Tense relations with the USSR were one of the reasons for the Netherlands to become in 1957 the first country to have accepted the deployment of American nuclear weapons on its territory. The climax was an incident that took place in 1961. The Soviet ambassador was expelled from the Netherlands. In retaliation, the ambassador of the Netherlands was expelled from the USSR.
     The “thaw” of the sixties in the USSR had a favourable impact on bilateral relations. In 1963 they were normalised, and the two countries exchanged their ambassadors. In 1964 the first official visit to Moscow by the Dutch Foreign Minister, Mr. J.Luns (the future Secretary General of NATO) took place, followed in 1972 by the first visit to the Netherlands of the Soviet Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. A.A.Gromyko, when a number of bilateral agreements were signed (on cooperation in economic, industrial, technical fields, etc.).
     Starting from the sixties, a large number of agreements were signed. Among them: agreements on cooperation in the field of peaceful uses of atomic energy (1965), on cultural cooperation (1967), on cooperation in the field of scientific research in agriculture (1970), a treaty on trade with the Benelux countries (1971), a veterinary convention (1979), an agreement on cooperation in the field of space research (1982) and many others. On the whole, bilateral relations in this period corresponded to the level of relations between the USSR and most of the Western countries.
     With the start of “perestroyka”, much hope was pinned in the Netherlands on the warming up of the international climate. In November 1986, an official visit of the Prime-Minister of the Netherlands, Mr. R.Lubbers, to the USSR took place. The central point on the agenda along with the issues of Soviet-Dutch relations was the reduction of intermediate missiles in Europe.
     After the August 1991 events in Russia the Dutch viewed quite positively the swift democratic reforms of that period carried out by President Boris Yeltsin.
     After the disintegration of the USSR and the formation of the Commonwealth of Independent States which was welcomed by the Dutch, the bilateral relations on the whole kept developing progressively. The Dutch firmly supported the Russian leadership’s policy of reforms.
     The intensity of Russian-Dutch political contacts has grown considerably in recent years. On several occasions the Prime-Ministers of the Netherlands have visited Russia. In the autumn of 1997 the first official visit in history by a Russian Prime-Minister took place. Contacts between the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the two countries are quite regular.
     Intensive exchanges are going on between other ministries, in particular transport, education, culture and science, agriculture.
     Contacts are developing between the Ministries of Justice and law-enforcement bodies of the two countries in the interests of fighting organised crime.
     Military ties are developing. In 1998 the Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation was visited by a delegation of the Institute of the Ministry of Defence of the Netherlands. The Netherlands was visited by the destroyer “Bespokoiny” flying the flag of the Baltic Fleet Commander and by a delegation of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation headed by the First Deputy Chief of the Chief Directorate of International Military Cooperation.
     The government of the Netherlands is becoming involved with the program of destruction of the Russian chemical weapon stockpiles and, in particular, with its financial aspects. An intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the field of dismantling of nuclear weapons has been concluded.
     Interparliamentary exchanges are developing. In March 2000 a delegation of the Federation Council headed by its Chairman Mr. E.S.Stroyev paid an official visit to the Netherlands.
     On March 14, 2000 the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, Mr. J. van Aartsen was in Moscow on a working visit. Mr. van Aartsen had talks with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Mr. I.S.Ivanov.
     The sides discussed a wide range of international problems and Russian-Dutch relations. They emphasised the need to intensify joint efforts to implement the Istanbul OSCE summit’s decision, to form a new European security architecture, to widen Russia’s cooperation with the European Union, as well as to strengthen the role of the UN and to improve the operation of the Security Council.
     The ministers noted the closeness of Russian and Dutch positions on arms limitation, comprehensive nuclear test ban, destruction of chemical weapon stockpiles. They expressed their readiness to actively cooperate in the settlement of regional conflicts, including the Balkans and the Middle East.
     Mr. I.S.Ivanov and Mr. J. van Aartsen expressed their satisfaction with the level of bilateral relations. It was stressed, that there were no serious unsolved problems which could stand in the way of further progressive development of mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields and of productive political dialogue.
     Mr. J. van Aartsen was informed in detail about the situation in the Northern Caucasus and the actions of the Russian leadership in order to restore peace and stability in the Chechen Republic.
     The Minister of Atomic Energy, Mr. E.O.Adamov, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, Mr. J. van Aartsen, signed an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the field of safe destruction of nuclear weapons, undergoing reductions in the Russian Federation, and safe utilisation of Russian nuclear submarines.
     The agreement stipulates that the Dutch side will allocate funds (initially about 3 million USD) for implementation of projects related to the manufacture by Russian enterprises of containers for spent nuclear fuel of atomic submarines, decommissioned from the Russian navy, and for weapons-grade plutonium.
     The Agreement serves the best interests of both sides in the field of strengthening nuclear and radiation safety and makes it possible to utilise the scientific, technological and industrial potential of Russian enterprises.
     Mr. I.S.Ivanov accepted the invitation of his Dutch colleague to visit the Netherlands.
     The Third session of the Mixed Commission for Economic Cooperation between Russia and the Netherlands took place on 6-7 December 2000. The Russian delegation was headed by the Vice Prime Minister of Russia, Minister of Agriculture Mr. A.Gordeev, the Dutch delegation - by the Vice Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Minister of Economic Affairs Mrs. A.Jorritsma. The Russian delegation included representatives of the Moscow Region, Mordovia, Dagestan and also businessmen and entrepreneurs. Mr. A.Gordeev met with Mrs. A.Jorritsma, Mr. L.Brinkhorst, Minister of Agriculture, Natural Management and Fisheries, Mr. G.Ybema, Minister for Foreign Trade.
     As a result of the session the two sides have signed a Final Document and two Memoranda on Understanding: on the PSO Programme between the Netherlands and Russia in 2001 and on co-operation in the field of management training. It was agreed that Mrs. A.Jorritsma and Mr. L.Brinkhorst would visit Russia.
     On 18-19 January 2001 the Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mr. W.Kok paid a working visit to Russia. In the course of his visit he met with the President of Russia Mr. V.Putin and the Prime Minister of Russia Mr. M.Kasianov. The main theme of the negotiations was the economic co-operation between the two countries, first of all, in agricultural and energy fields, and also in the field of transport and communications. Such important issues as the Dutch assistance in salvaging the submarine "Kursk", the problem of Chechnya, the forthcoming visit of H.M. Queen Beatrix to Russia, which is planned for June 2001, were also discussed.
     In April 2001 the working visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation took place in the Netherlands, during which he had meetings with the Dutch Prime Minister W.Kok and the Foreign Minister J.van Aartsen.
     He visit of H.M. the Queen of the Netherlands Beatrix (5-7 June) was the central event in 2001. In the course of this visit the sides signed the Joint Programme of Actions for 2001-2003.
     Holland remains one of the major trade and economic partners of Russia. In September 2001 the Dutch Trade and Economic Mission headed by the Foreign Trade Minister G.Ybema went to Russia. The delegation consisted of more than 40 entrepreneurs. During this visit two important Memoranda of Understanding have been signed: on the exchange of economic information between the agencies of ecomonic ministries of the two countries and on the Netherlands-Russia PSO Programme for 2002. In October 2001 the Russian-Dutch Economic Forum took place in The Hague, where members of the government, representatives of business and banking circles of both countries actively participated. In the end of October 2001 the Russian and Dutch ministries of transport signed an interagency Contract on the Mutual Recognition of Diplomas of the Maritime Ships Crew Members.
     In 2001 a number of events happened in the field of culture. In spring the State Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science of the Netherlands F. van der Ploeg made a visit to Russia in the course of which he signed a Memorandum on Cooperation in the Cultural Sphere. In December 2001 the Russian Minister of Culture M.E.Shvydkoy was present at the opening of the exposition of the Russian painter I.Repin in Groningen. The archive negotiations went on. In December 2001 a part of the Dutch archives were conveyed to the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands F.Majoor in Moscow. And in January 2002 the Russian State Archive delegation conveyed 22 archive funds to the Dutch State Archive in The Hague.
     In February 2002  the next meeting of the Russia-Dutch Mixed Economic Commission took place in Moscow.
     The state visit of the President of the Russian Federation V.V.Putin is planned for November 2002. In July 2002 bilateral negotiations with a view to preparing the visit were held in The Hague.