Slovenia - Russian Relations
Slovenia has long prided itself on its unique relationship with Russia, which lacks most of the olitical baggage collected by its eastern neighbors during years of Communist repression. Slovenia is nothing if not a pragmatic country. It sees advantages in keeping communication friendly and commercial lanes open with its large northern neighbor, with which it enjoys a US$ 1 billion trade relationship. Slovenia sent one of its most dynamic and intellectually gifted young diplomats as Ambassador to Moscow and it regularly hosts and sends commercial delegations. Russian business has made inroads into a notoriously xenophobic investment climate in Slovenia.
Viktor Orban is known as the main man of Russian President Vladimir Putin in the EU and NATO-u. Early in 2021, the so-called “non-papers” attributable to the Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša were leaked to the public, which further deteriorated the very tense situation in the Western Balkans. The existence of the “non-paper” was confirmed also by the President of the European Council Charles Michel. Subsequent developments and tensions in the Western Balkans were in line with the contents of the respective “non-papers.” It is also worth noting that Slovenia, together with Hungary and Croatia, blocked the decision on EU sanctions to Milorad Dodik (SNSD), Member of the BiH Presidency, who is also known as Putin's satellite in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Hence, it is obvious that Putin had launched his satellites into the orbit of European and Balkan politics.
All the activities clearly show that the Slovenian foreign policy had directly or indirectly been in the function of Putin's policy within the EU and on the West Balkans, which is aimed at destruction of the unity within the EU and destabilization. Hence, it has been successful in completing the task so far. Therefore, the recent “excursion” of the Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša to Kyiv is regarded in international circles with caution and suspicions. As a result of such a policy, Slovenia has lost the position it had enjoyed in the West Balkans, and due to the close connections with Victor Orban, as Putin’s satellite, international circles regard Slovenia with major reservations and utmost caution. In this context, it is important to understand that Janša's engagement in Ukraine and the attempt to include Ukraine in the Slovenian election campaign is an experiment of improvision and unseriousness. It is crystal clear that a country of the size and stature in international relations, such as Slovenia, currently cannot resolve the burning global problem – as is the Russian invasion on Ukraine. Furthermore, several years ago Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša “slipped” and insulted the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as well as US President Joseph Biden.
Janša's adventurism in foreign policy reflected also on his relations with China because of his solo stances on Taiwan, which triggered strong response by the Chinese authorities. Nevertheless, in such circumstances Janša nominated Slovenia for the position of a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2024-2025 period, which is an act of foreign-policy amateurism. One should also not neglect the fact that in the past Slovenia had already unsuccessfully applied for the position of a nonpermanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2012-2013 period.
The Protocol on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the Republic of Slovenia and the Russian Federation was signed on 25 May 1992, followed by the opening of the Slovenian Embassy in Moscow on 24 June 1992. Relations between the Republic of Slovenia (RS) and the Russian Federation (RF) are traditionally good and friendly. In less than thirty years, the two countries have developed comprehensive cooperation and exchanged numerous visits at various levels. Among other things, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Slovenia in July 2016, President Borut Pahor paid an official visit to the Russian Federation in February 2017, and Prime Minister Marjan Šarec in September 2019. Regular political dialogue between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs is based on annual plans. working consultations.
Interparliamentary cooperation has also been established between the two countries. A friendship group with the Russian Federation has been formed in the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia, and a parliamentary group for contacts with the Slovenian National Assembly is active in the National Duma. Every year, a high-ranking Russian political delegation and a delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church take part in the commemoration of Russian victims of the First World War at the Russian Chapel in Vršic. On the occasion of its 100th anniversary in 2016, the ceremony was attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who then unveiled a monument to Russian victims in the Žale Memorial Park in Ljubljana.
Though the GOS tends to leave the big-picture political relationship with Russia in the hands of the EU, the bilateral relationship is comfortable since Slovenia does not tend toward the same visceral negative reactions as some of the other new eastern European members of the EU. The ease of this relationship, however, does not mean Slovenia avoids actions which upset or annoy Russia. Slovenia continues to be very supportive of the struggle for increased freedom and democracy in Russia's immediate neighborhood (Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia etc.) While the GOS is comfortable delegating authority to the EU on big issues with Russia, it is very aware that Russian strategy is to continue to work its bilateral relationships and to keep them strong. The GOS is wary of what it sees as Russian "cherry picking" and attempts to play one EU member off another on certain issues.
Russia is a significant and growing export market for Slovenia, and 72 Slovenian companies have representation in Russia. In 2004, Slovenia exported USD 520 million to Russia, primarily pharmaceuticals and household white goods. Slovenia imports from Russia totaled USD 392 million, mostly petroleum derivatives and natural gas, from Russia. Both countries would like to expand and diversify their markets.
Slovenia condemned in the strongest terms the military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and supported Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. "The Russian Federation’s military invasion of Ukraine poses a threat to the European security architecture and world peace and constitutes a grave violation of international law and international agreements, including the Charter of the United Nations, UN Security Council Resolution 2202, the Helsinki Final Act, the Paris Charter and the Budapest Memorandum. The attack unilaterally violates the international legal order and demolishes the foundations upon which peace and mutual respect for the sovereignty of countries in democratic civilisations have been built in recent decades. Slovenia strongly supports Ukraine and its people, also within the European Union and NATO. Slovenia supported the adoption of severe sanctions against the Russian Federation at the EU level."
On 05 April 2022, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia summoned the Ambassador of the Russian Federation, Timur Eyvazov, to "express dismay and the harshest protest at the clear evidence that the armed forces of the Russian Federation committed war crimes against the civilian population in the Ukrainian town of Bucha. Together with partners, allies and the International Criminal Court, Slovenia will do its utmost to hold the perpetrators accountable for these horrific crimes.""
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