Which cities controlled the main trade routes in Europe?

One of the famous European trade routes was entirely controlled by the Eastern Slavs. The path “From the Varangians to the Greeks” lay on the territory of the Eastern Slavs. The main large cities that controlled this route were: Novgorod, Ladoga, Smolensk, Chernigov, Turov, Kiev. Merchant ships loaded with foreign goods passed through the territory of the state. Thanks to this, trade relations spread in these Slavic cities. They also carried out cultural exchanges with foreign guests.