[SunkenCiv]

America's first minister to the Russian Court of Catherine the Great was Francis Dana, a member of the Continental Congress, being assisted 1781-1783 by the young John Quincy Adams -- the future 6th US President.

Catherine the Great was, of course, a German princess.

[colorado tanker]

Catherine was ruthless, which served her well at home and in foreign affairs. She had her weak-kneed Germanophile husband deposed and murdered shortly after. Despite her German ancestry, she ruthlessly pursued Russian interests.

I did not know the British courted her help against the Americans, but I'm not surprised she ignored them. No percentage in that for Mother Russia.