St. Petersburg, having received a positive response from the Vienna Government, Alexander III still could not feel happy.
"Franz has always been cautious, not acting until he sees his prey. This time he agreed so readily, without setting any conditions. Do you think there might be some sort of plot behind this?"
It was no wonder Alexander III was suspicious. In recent decades, the Russian Empire had suffered in silence too much, which had created a psychological shadow for him.
Foreign Minister Oscar Hemenes replied, "Your Majesty, you are overthinking it. It seems as though the Austrian Government is helping us, but in reality, they are also helping themselves.
The British want a military arms race, which is really aimed at France and Austria. Now England, France, and Austria are all in a situation where it's hard to back out without a clear victory, and they simply cannot stop.
