Untraditional tools of cultural diplomacy in the age of Kievan Rus

The article analyzes the role and significance of non-traditional means of cultural diplomacy in the days of Kyivan Rus. The point of view is argued that recently culture, its material and immaterial achievements, are turning into national property, becoming a means of identification of the nation. With the help of culture, state priorities in domestic and foreign policy are established, international initiatives are launched, and ties are strengthened. In recent years, there has been an increase in the importance of the use of «soft power» in the modern international arena and the abandonment of military methods of defending geopolitical interests. Military aggression becomes unjustified and illegal, entails political and economic responsibility in the form of the imposition of international sanctions and public condemnation, consideration of cases of violation of the principles of international law and human rights by an international tribunal. In this context, tools of cultural diplomacy are increasingly attracting the attention of the international community, scientists and practitioners, and research into its historical development contributes to a greater understanding of its nature and the search for new forms and ways of forming modern diplomatic traditions of both individual countries and modern diplomacy in general. In order to highlight the non-traditional tools of cultural diplomacy of Kyivan Rus, the article analyzes the concept of «cultural diplomacy», «diplomacy», and pays attention to the historical development of forms of external communication of this period. The conducted research made it possible to single out the conclusion of dynastic marriages and the introduction of Christianity in Kyivan Rus as means of cultural diplomacy, tools of «soft power» of the specified period. A large number of dynastic marriages during the period of the princedoms of Volodymyr the Great and Yaroslav the Wise, the adoption of Christianity created favorable conditions for raising the power of Kyivan Rus on the international arena, strengthened its international position, became an impetus for the development of culture within the country and the spread of objects of its heritage abroad.