An Analysis of the Discreteness of Political and Historical Relations Between Russia and Spain in the New Millennium

The article analyses the discreteness of Russian-Spanish cooperation and how the political events of the beginning of the 21st century influenced it. The new inconsistencies and instabilities in the relations between the two countries, which have emerged since 2014, are considered in detail. The main aim of the research work is the actualisation of the Spanish vector of the Russian foreign policy at the present stage. The possibility of the development of a mutual friendly position of Russia and Spain will help balance the negativity of the general diplomatic background of relations between the European Union and the Russian Federation. On the basis of historical comparative studies and methods of historical periodisation, the external signs of the occurrence of chronological periods of political rapprochement between Russia and Spain are examined. As a rule, periods of active Spanish-Russian interaction are associated with the development of economic ties. The study of the works of Russian Hispanists, such as N.F. Mikheeva, N.E. Anikeeva, 0.V. Volosyuk, testifies that, for many years, Spain has considered partnership with Russia in order to jointly confront third countries. The article provides a historical retrospective of the strategic and economic relations between Russia and Spain during the Khrushchev Thaw period, when the European Union sought to restore the lost confidence in relations between Russia and the EU countries. The signing of the Strategic Partnership Agreement by Russia and Spain in 2009 and the rapid growth of visa, economic, energy, scientific, and cultural cooperation took place during the period from 2007 to 2011. The relations between Russia and Spain in the second decade of the 21st century inevitably revolve around the Crimean crisis that took place in the spring of 2014. The main outcome of the crisis was the imposition of economic sanctions, which significantly complicated the political and economic interaction. The expansion and toughening of sanctions, in addition to the agrarian and tourism sectors, have significantly affected the energy and transport sectors. The Spanish business community, which is frightened by the negative consequences of tougher sanctions, actively demonstrates concern about this problem in the press. The Russian counter-sanctions caused damage to the EU in the amount of 550 million euros per year. Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo estimated Spain's losses from export restrictions more than once. The conclusion of the work is a proposal to create a special declarative union of the countries located on the borders of Europe, which could exclude some types of foreign policy sanctions preventing the implementation of the historically friendly neutral foreign policy and the creation of an economic and cultural cooperation between Spain and the Russian Federation.

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