# St. Alexander Nevsky, Russian diplomacy, negotiations in Istanbul (March 29, 2022). An essay by a diplomatic volunteer

Henry de Overwood

MMMDXCI. St. Alexander Nevsky, Russian diplomacy, negotiations in Istanbul (March 29, 2022). An essay by a diplomatic volunteer. - December 27, 2024.

St. Alexander Nevsky, Russian diplomacy, negotiations in Istanbul (March 29, 2022). An essay by a diplomatic volunteer.


Relatively recently, the image of Catherine the Great has come to the fore. She was a master of diplomacy. Her diplomatic actions related to the status of Crimea (with the participation of Grigory Potemkin) are quite familiar. Her diplomatic activity aimed at dividing the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and at turning the Grand Duchy of Lithuania into provinces (gubernies) of the Russian Empire are well known. (For the additional information: 1795-1009=786; 2024 (?) -1480 (?) = 544).


Yesterday I learned that the patron saint of Russian diplomacy (since the time of Peter the Great) is St. Alexander Nevsky.


The chairman of the Military Historical Society (he was also the head of the Russian delegation at the negotiations in Istanbul on March 29, 2022) spoke on the radio (yesterday, December 26, 2024) about Alexander Nevsky's diplomatic activities.


On December 24, 2024, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova "presented to Putin the concept of a branch of the Hermitage dedicated to the military glory of the Russian Federation. This concept is based on the image of Alexander Nevsky." [Unofficial translation]


Apparently, the Highest Echelons of Power are thinking about possible negotiations, and a kind of historical basis is being created for this.


In this regard, I recalled the negotiations in Istanbul on March 29, 2022 and tried to compare this diplomatic experience with Alexander Nevsky's foreign policy activities. (There was a some information about his activity on the radio last night).


Alexander Nevsky personally visited the ancient Mongol state and personally negotiated with the head of this state.


It takes quite a long time to fly (by plane) to the ancient capital of the medieval Mongol state, - I learned from a radio broadcast. (I don't know if there is an airfield at the appropriate geographical point). It follows from this that the leaders of other states could not influence the negotiations between Alexander Nevsky and the head of the ancient Mongol state.


"In November 2023, Davyd Arakhamia confirmed in an interview with 1+1 that Boris Johnson advised to abandon negotiations with Russia." [Unofficial translation]


If Ukraine's position is influenced by the leaders of other states, then such circumstance should be taken into account in planning diplomatic actions.


From the very beginning, the question should have been raised not about a bilateral meeting, but about convening an international conference with the participation of representatives of all interested parties. During the international conference, the leaders of other states (countries) would have outlined their position, and their position would have been taken into account when summarizing (finishing) the negotiations. The leaders of other states would not question the outcome (the result) of the bilateral negotiations.


However, to date, the chairman of the Military Historical Society has not explicitly (obviously) (for the general public) set the task of convening an international conference.


Alexander Nevsky personally visited the ancient Mongol state and personally negotiated with the head of this state. Such situation made the exchange of credentials unnecessary [credentials - documents confirming credentials - authority, powers, empowerment]. As for the negotiations on March 29, 2022 in Istanbul, I have never heard any mention of credentials. Have a credentials been really issued? An exchange of credentials really took place? If the credentials actually existed, then what was written in them?


If there were no credentials, then who was negotiating with whom (and about what)?


Who should issue the credentials of the Ukrainian delegation - from the point of view of the head of the Military Historical Society and (or) of his advisers?


Alexander Nevsky personally visited the ancient Mongol state and personally negotiated with the head of this state. Have any documents been issued (prepared) following these ancient meetings (summits)? I did not receive such information from the radio broadcast.


'MOSCOW, March 29, 2022 - RIA Novosti. Negotiations between the delegations of Moscow and Kiev on the settlement of the situation in Ukraine have ended in Istanbul. Presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky called the meeting constructive.


He noted that the Russian side had received written proposals from the Ukrainian side for consideration - "a clearly formulated position on their inclusion in the treaty.' (https://ria.ru/20220329/peregovory-1780680364.html ) [Unofficial translation]


Is it possible to call "written proposals for consideration" an "initialed agreement"? (Initialing (from the French paraphe - stroke [flourish, scratch]) is the preliminary signing of an agreement).


One way or another, an "initialed agreement" differs from a ratified treaty (agreement). An example is the signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (1918). The signed agreement was separated from the ratified treaty by a huge political distance.


Accordingly, the will expression of the negotiating delegation is not equivalent to the will of a state (country) as a whole. The state (as a whole) expresses its will only through the adoption of a law on the ratification of an international treaty. Thus, one should prepare in advance for the fact that receiving of a document (even with the signature of the head of the negotiating delegation) does not mean receiving of a positive reaction from a state (as a whole) participating in the negotiations.


So, recognizing the usefulness of creating a branch of the Hermitage Museum - the concept of the branch is based on the image of St. Alexander Nevsky (the patron saint of Russian diplomacy) - I consider it useful to take into account the following considerations:


1) The advantage of an international conference over bilateral negotiations - in a situation where a number of states are involved in the political competition (counteraction).


2) The need to draw up credentials (special documents confirming diplomatic rights) and the need of exchange by them. It is undesirable the participation in negotiations of persons whose status (credentials, powers) have not been officially confirmed.


3) There are differences between (a) a state (as a whole) and the negotiating delegation, (b) an initialed agreement and a ratified treaty.


I assume that the total amount of efforts (in all directions) will yield a positive result, in accordance with the well-known and universally recognized principles of international law.


December 27, 2024, 09:25


Translation from Russian into English: December 27, 2024 13:23

Владимир Владимирович Залесский ' Святой Александр Невский, русская дипломатия, переговоры в Стамбуле (29 марта 2022 года). Очерк дипломатического волонтёра. '.


{ 3620. Святой Александр Невский, русская дипломатия, переговоры в Стамбуле (29 марта 2022 года). Очерк дипломатического волонтёра. - 27 декабря 2024 г.

MMMDXCI. St. Alexander Nevsky, Russian diplomacy, negotiations in Istanbul (March 29, 2022). An essay by a diplomatic volunteer. - December 27, 2024.


Vladimir Zalessky Internet-bibliotheca. Интернет-библиотека Владимира Залесского}