Russias Stabilizing Role During the Crisis of the Vienna System in the 1860s.

This article uses a wide range of historical sources (archival materials, published sources, periodicals) to characterize the foreign policy course of the Russian Empire from the point of view of preserving European security during the years of German unification. Based on the analysis of Russian foreign policy initiatives during the three armed conflicts of 1864, 1866 and 1870—1871 and in comparison with the position taken by other European powers, it is concluded that in St. Petersburgs foreign policy in the second half of the 1860s the principles of preserving peace and European security, corresponding to the spirit of the decisions of the Congress of Vienna, continued to play an important role along with the realization of exclusively Russian national interests. Despite the fact that in some cases St. Petersburg succeeded in preventing Europe from territorial expansion of armed conflicts, the new realities in international affairs demonstrated that the European neutral powers did not provide adequate support for Russian peace initiatives, so they could not have the desired effect, and the stabilizing role of Russia alone was not enough to preserve security in Europe on a long-term basis.