100 years of Mongolian-Russian diplomatic relations – The Diplomat
November 5, 2021 marked the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Mongolia and the Russian Federation. In the space of a century, the two countries have shared more historical, political and social commonalities than any of Mongolia’s other partners in the world, due to both geography and political alliances. built through the different stages of governments. Standing the test of time, the story of Mongolian-Russian relations highlights extraordinary turning points in the history of Northeast Asia.
A century ago, on November 5, 1921, the Mongolian People’s Republic (MPR) and the USSR signed a treaty of friendship establishing diplomatic relations. A year later, in 1922, embassies were opened in Ulaanbaatar and Moscow. Despite this achievement in foreign policy, the 1930s and 1940s were treacherous times when political and religious ideologies clashed. Some 30,000 to 40,000 Buddhist monks, intellectuals and nobles were purged in Mongolia, echoing the ongoing Stalinist purges in the Soviet Union. It was only 50 years later, in 1984 during the Tsedenbal-Batmunkh transition, that the two camps were reconciled and put an end to these historic ordeals, under the impetus of the Mongolian side.
Even during the turbulent period of the 1930s and 1940s, Mongolia and Russia – to be precise, the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic – cooperated at a number of defining moments in history.
One of the most recognized examples is the Battle of Khalkhiin Gol, where the armies of the MPR and the USSR fought against the Imperial Japanese Army and the Japanese puppet state of Manchukuo from May to September 1939. This series of battles was a prelude to world war. II, coming just before the invasion of Poland by Germany.
As most of Europe went to war against Nazi Germany, Russia was also drawn into it. Mongolia’s supply of wool, warm clothing, food and horses became a lifeline for Russian soldiers fighting the Germans in mid-winter. It is said that during Russia’s war against Germany, one in five horses was a Mongolian war horse. In 2015, the then President of Mongolia, Elbegdorj Tsakhia, presented a large bronze horse statue, titled “Across the roads at war”, to the Russian people of the Mongolian people – a sweet reminder of friendship Mongolia-Russia, joint efforts and a soft power movement for its strong and continuous ties.
For 70 years, Mongolia’s domestic and foreign policy was heavily influenced by the Soviet Union, with its socialist-inspired economic models. The Russian influence in Mongolia is undeniable. However, Mongolia’s strong relationship with Russia has been a major stepping stone for Mongolia to gain international recognition and gain in foreign policy and diplomatic strength. At the same time, Russia’s industrial and economic development was reflected in the development of Mongolia’s main sectors: infrastructure, energy, railways and major mining developments such as Erdenet. Even after the fall of the USSR, Mongolia continued to benefit from Russian investments. According to the Mongolian Ministry of Foreign Affairs“from 1990 to 2014, the volume of Russian investment in Mongolia reached 297 million dollars, which represents 2.1% of the total foreign direct investment in Mongolia”.
Over the past five years, Mongolia has accelerated its foreign policy activities with its neighbors, including Russia, to embark on new opportunities that could diversify its mining-dependent economy. In 2019, during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to Mongolia, the two countries signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement, bringing Moscow and Ulaanbaatar even closer. Both countries are expansion cooperation in areas such as economy, energy and climate change issues.
In 2020, Russia ratified the Treaty on friendly relations and comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and Mongolia. On November 25 this year, in commemoration of the 100th anniversary, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov awarded the Order of Friendship award to the Ambassador of Mongolia to Russia, Davaa Dulamsuren, acknowledging his contribution and dedication in developing the comprehensive strategic partnership between Mongolia and Russia.
Mongolia-Russia relations have also been expansion in the energy sector. As Russia supplies 92% of Mongolia’s energy demand, particularly fuel, this is a key sector for both countries. Beyond bilateral cooperation, however, the Power of Siberia 2 Mega Project, which involves Russia, Mongolia and China, could be a game-changer for Northeast Asian gas supplies. The project, with the construction of1,942 kilometers of main gas pipelines with 114 wellswould see Russian gas transit through Mongolia en route to China. Via the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline, Russia’s energy hub to Asia includes Mongolia. The government of Mongolia has also been proactive in pursuing the pipeline, sealing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Russia in 2019.
In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Mongolian-Russian relations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia organized a conference on “Relations between Mongolia and Russia: past, present and future”. Deputy Foreign Minister B. Munkhjin, MP S. Odontuya and SA Kramintsyev, Counselor at the Russian Embassy in Mongolia, opened the conference. At the conference, historians and scholars highlighted the fact that Mongolia and Russia and their peoples worked together to overcome political challenges and transformations.
In addition, the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Mongolia and the Embassy of Mongolia in the Russian Federation organized 92 activities during a month of celebration of the centuries-old ties between the two countries.
In addition, the President’s Office, the Parliamentary Group on Mongolia-Russia Relations and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia organized a historical photo gallery, “One Hundred Events of a Centurywhich featured rare black-and-white footage of the 1921 People’s Revolution, the 1939 Battle of Khalkhiin Gol, and Russia’s involvement in World War II. These images captured many of the significant events that shaped Mongolian-Russian relations.
In his opening address, Russian Ambassador to Mongolia IK Azizov declared“We hope that the photographs presented in this exhibition will give a clear idea of the 100-year history of Mongolian-Russian relations and other events, and it will allow us to see these events as a whole.”