Luxembourg–Russia relations
Luxembourg–Russia relations (Russian: Российско-люксембургские отношения, Luxembourgish: Lëtzebuergesch-Russesch Relatiounen) are the bilateral foreign relations between the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (member-state of the European Union) and the Russian Federation. Luxembourg has an embassy in Moscow and an honorary consulate in Saint Petersburg. Russia has an embassy in the city of Luxembourg.
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Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and the United Nations.
In the history of bilateral relations, the first Russian president to come on an official visit to Luxembourg was Vladimir Putin on 24 May 2007. As bilateral trade had more than tripled from USD 66.6 million in 2003 to USD 228.3 million in 2006, time had come to strengthen the ties between the two countries, energy and finance being the key areas of cooperation between Russia and Luxembourg.
Russian immigrant workers in Luxembourg
In 1926 about a hundred White émigré families, mostly former officers, came over Bulgaria to Luxembourg to work mainly in the flourishing iron ore industry.[1] Since 1982, the Grand Duchy has a Russian Orthodox Church. On 1 June 2008 there were 943 Russians registered in Luxembourg.[2]
2008 South Ossetia War
During the 2008 South Ossetia War, Luxembourg claimed that Russia violated United Nations Security Council Resolution 1808 which Russia had voted for only a few months before. Luxembourg criticism escalated especially after its recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. While Luxembourg refuses to recognise either, Abkhazia is now recognised by 6 UN member states and South Ossetia by 5, respectively.