Why Did European Monarchs So Often Go to War With Russia? Throughout history, European kingdoms and empires often clashed with Russia—not because of personal hatred, but because of geography, power, and influence. Russia has always been one of the largest states on earth. As it expanded westward and southward, it bumped into other growing powers. European monarchs wanted to protect their borders, control important trade routes, or stop Russia from becoming too strong. Russia, on the other hand,