rea. Bismarck, unwilling to upset either Austria or Russia decided to play the 'honest broker' in the conference of Berlin in 1878. The result was that Russia was unhappy about the settlement over Bulgaria, as it appeared to them that the Germans, represented by Bismarck had sided with Austria. Even Bismarck's diplomacy had floundered over the difficult and complex situation in the Balkans. The result was a distinct cooling of relations between Russia and Germany, resulting in the effectual invalidation of the Reinsurance Treaty between the two powers that insured the neutrality of Russia in the event of a war with France.
             When the Reinsurance Treaty was brought up in 1890, it could have been renewed through clever diplomacy, had Germany sought reconciliation with Russia. However, no such reconciliation was sought and the Treaty that effectively stopped European war through ensuring that France remained isolated was allowed to lapse. However, not only had this agreement been damaged by Bismarck'
             ...