Canadian-Russian relations: main stages of development (20th - early 21st centuries)

This article is the first study undertaken in the Russian historiography to recapitulate the relations between Canada and Russia during the 20th and early 21st centuries and to describe different stages in their development. The author focuses on the three major historical periods in the relations between Canada and Russia. The first one covers the period from 1942 to 1945 when Canada and Russia were in coalition against Nazi Germany and established direct diplomatic relations. The second one dates back to 1945/1946-1989 when the bilateral relations were affected by the Cold War developments. The third one lasts from 1989 until now, featuring both positive and negative dynamics in the development of the relations. A large number of historical, economic, domestic political, geopolitical, military, and ideological factors are considered which influenced the relations between Canada and Russia over these periods. The author concludes that the relations between Canada and Russia, particularly, in economics, were far from developing on mutually beneficial basis. They were most profoundly affected by the international situation, changes in the system of international relations, the NATO activities, particularly, during the Cold War period. The two factors, however, played a special role, i.e. the Canadian government's traditional commitment to Britain's imperial idea as well as its close economic, trade and military cooperation with the United States.