Konstantin Dolgov

The article addresses the problems of the development of the Greek-Slavic and Romano-Germanic worlds: historical, political, economic, religious and socio-cultural contradictions between the East and the West. This involves the issues relating to the destiny and the future of the Slavic peoples, particularly the history of the Slavic community, which in many respects determined the lifestyle and mentality of Slavs, their weak and strong points, what distinguishes them from Western European peoples.

The article reveals the world significance of the teachings and ideas of Cyril and Methodius that gave the world fundamentally new political, economic, cultural, scientific and religious dimensions. This gave the start to the interaction between the Latin and the Cyrillic worlds, Byzantine and Slavic traditions in time-space continuum of the East, Russia, the West and Slavdom.

The author touches upon the dramatic history of Slavic people whose attempts to form their own independent states failed, except for Russia. Hot disputes of Slavophiles and Westernizers on a historical way of the development of Russia, on the Eastern question did not result in any certain decision. The relationships between the East and the West, the Greek-Slavic and Romano-Germanic worlds obtain the universal global dimension and significance. The article presents possible ways of resolving the confrontation between the East and the West.