Catherine II, after her victories in the Russo-Turkish War, is depicted in portraits dressed in the military uniforms of Great Britain, which had at first been a willing ally to Russia because of the trade between the two countries.

Great Britain needs bar iron to fuel its nascent Industrial Revolution as well as other products, such as sailcloth, hemp, and timber, for the construction and maintenance of its Navy, all of which Russia can provide.

When the tide of the conflict turns in Russia's favor, Britain sees fit to limit its support, seeing Russia as a rising competitor in far eastern trade rather than merely a counterbalance to France’s Navy in the Mediterranean.

The withdrawal of British support leaves Russia in a superior position in the Black Sea but unable to do anything more than cut down its own supply lines and disrupt Turkish trade in the area.