Answer: Peter was aware that Russia was underdeveloped. He believed that direct access to the Baltic see could open Russia to the West and change the situation. That was the reason of his wars with Sweden.
Explanation: Before Peter the Great there was no access to Europe ....communication was indirect. Tzar became aware of the necessity of European ideas and technologies. Peter the Great is traditionally viewed as a revolutionary modernizer, a progressive spirit very exceptional in Russian historical context.
