High level contacts between Belgium and Russia began in the early 18th century, when Peter the Great visited the Southern Netherlands in 1717.

[1] Peter left his mark in Spa, when he built an edifice with a portico over the main spring, which the locals renamed in his honour as Pouhon Pierre-le-Grand.

Russian exports to Belgium were mainly commodities, including minerals (37%), precious and semi-precious stones (22%), ferrous and non-ferrous metals (17%) and chemical products (8%).

Russian imports from Belgium were composed of industrial equipment (25%), chemicals and pharmaceuticals (18%), plastic products and rubber (9%), food (8%) and transportation (8%).

[7] Belgium joined other countries in spring 2022 in declaring a number of Russian diplomats Persona non grata.