North Macedonia–Russia relations

Both countries have predominantly Slavic and Orthodox Christian populations, and the former president of North Macedonia, Gjorgje Ivanov, once described their relations as friendly,[1] but in reality they are ambiguous. North Macedonia does not recognize the Russian annexation of Crimea and it respects the territorial integrity of Ukraine, and on March 27, 2014, it approved the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 68/262. The most contentious issue is the accession of North Macedonia to NATO. The former Russian ambassador Oleg Shcherbak even warned the government of North Macedonia that: "If it came to a conflict between Russia and NATO, you will have the role of a legitimate target". The Defense Minister of North Macedonia, Radmila Šekerinska, accused the Russian government of trying to interfere in North Macedonia's affairs , while its prime minister Zoran Zaev was a target of the pro-Kremlin pranksters Vovan and Lexus. On April 2, 2018, North Macedonia expelled Russian diplomats over the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal. In 2017, some media claimed that Russian spies and diplomats, together with their supporters from Serbia, have been involved in an effort to spread propaganda and provoke discord in North Macedonia with a goal to stop the country from joining NATO and to pry it away from western influence.

Since proclaiming its independence in 1991, North Macedonia is pursuing a consistent pro-Western policy. It joined the NATO program Partnership for Peace in 1995 and a decade later, it officially became a European Union candidate. However, some analysts claim that the former prime minister Nikola Gruevski tried to flirt with Moscow, at least during his late tenure. These policy fluctuations are explained as North Macedonia's disillusionment with the West. The European Union and NATO delayed North Macedonia's accession for too long, and also, they are perceived by some ethnic Macedonians as positively biased towards the Albanian minority and neighbouring Kosovo. In this situation, Russia claims to be a protector of the ethnic Macedonian interests. But despite occasional fluctuations, North Macedonia's policy remains pro-Western. The sole Russophile political party in the country is Edinstvena Makedonija, led by Janko Bačev, but its influence is negligible.

In 2008, North Macedonia and Russia signed a mutual and conditional visa-waiver agreement, according to which, a visa is not required if the traveller possesses an original tourist voucher or an official letter of invitation, but if these conditions are not met, a visa is still required. Later, North Macedonia unilaterally lifted these special requirements, giving the Russians a real visa-free access to the country (see: Visa requirements for Russian citizens). However, this friendly gesture was not met with reciprocity on the Russian side. For the citizens of North Macedonia, the agreement and its special requirements are still in force (see: Visa requirements for citizens of North Macedonia).

Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Alexy I performing a joint ceremony with Macedonian Archbishop Dositheus II in Skopje, 1962.

President of North Macedonia Gjorge Ivanov and the President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev on the 2010 Moscow Victory Day Parade.

Russia recognized North Macedonia as an independent state on August 4, 1992, about one year after the then Republic of Macedonia's declaration of independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.[2] The Russian Federation by that move became the first major power in the world to recognize the country under its former constitutional name Republic of Macedonia,[2][3][4] The establishment of full diplomatic relations between the two states took place on 31 January 1994.[2]

The Russian consulate in Bitola.

Over 40 agreements were signed by the Republic of North Macedonia and the Russian Federation in the first 15 years of their bilateral relations,[2] among them the important Declaration of Friendship and Cooperation in 1998.[1]

The pharmaceutical company from North Macedonia, Alkaloid, has a subsidiary in Russia, while the Russian petroleum company Lukoil owns gas stations in North Macedonia.[5] In March 2015, Russian engineering construction company Stroitransgaz announced plans to a build a gas pipeline across North Macedonia, which could eventually be used as part of a route to supply Europe with Russian gas via Turkey.[6]

Stroitransgaz is owned by Gennady Timchenko, an ally of President Vladimir Putin, who was among the first businessmen to be placed under sanctions by the United States in the Crimea crisis.[6] A spokesman for Stroitransgaz said the sanctions would not hamper the project in North Macedonia, which is not a member of the European Union.[6]

The 96.6 km (60.0 mi) Negotino-Klečovce gas pipeline will cross North Macedonia from near the Greek border in the south up to the vicinity of the Serbian border in the north.[6] Stroitransgaz will build 61 km (38 mi) of the link by June 2016.[6]

Moscow plans to build an undersea pipeline to Turkey, a replacement for the cancelled South Stream project via Bulgaria.[6] The details of an onward route from Turkey through Greece have not been finalised.[6]

Stroitransgaz said it will carry out its work as part of the repayment of the outstanding debt between the former Soviet Union and the former Yugoslavia, of which North Macedonia was a member.[6] The cost of the entire project stands at $75.7 million.[6]

The project has added to tensions between the West and Russia.[7] Following violent interethnic clashes in the northern city of Kumanovo on the 9th of May 2015, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the West of trying to incite an overthrow of the government of North Macedonia in order to undermine the project.[7]

After a meeting between officials from North Macedonia and Russia in March 2016, it was announced that the government of North Macedonia is interested in increasing Russian tourism in the country. The government of North Macedonia is working to create good conditions for Russian tourists and in establishing regular airfare between the two countries.[8]

• Foreign relations of North Macedonia
• Foreign relations of Russia