League of the Three Emperors
The Reinsurance Treaty originated after the German-Austrian-Russian "Dreikaiserbund" (League of the Three Emperors) had lapsed in 1887 because of competition between Austria-Hungary and Russia for spheres of influence in the Balkans. In early 1887, a Russian diplomat went to Berlin to propose a treaty in which Russia would be a friendly neutral during a war between Germany and France, and in return, Germany would recognise Russian dominance in Bulgaria and promise a friendly neutrality if Russia seized the Turkish Straits from the Ottoman Empire. Bismarck strongly supported the idea, but Alexander rejected the plan until Foreign Minister Nikolay Girs convinced him that to be best for Russia in the absence of French friendship. Bismarck refused Russia's request for Germany to stay neutral if Russia went to war against Austria and explained that Berlin had an ironclad Triple Alliance with Vienna.