Quote Originally Posted by rotorgun
I have often wondered just what materials and services the Russians needed from Britain? Were they so important that the Czar needed to break his treaty with Napoleon? Could not Napoleon have renegotiated with Alexander to provide these things and reaffirmed their relationship. All he wanted was his back door secure so that he could complete operations in Spain. It hardly seemed worth it to go to war with Russia over a little smuggling.

Because it was about different things. The tension was rising from 1807 - the defeat was seen as humilating by many in Russia.
Next you have the war in 1809 where Russian 'allies' beheaved very strange ( because secretly there was an agreement with the Austrians), the Polish question, the Turkish affair. The war would be started in 1811, but the Russians were not able to re-deploy - they meant to attack which is rarely mentioned in books about the war for some reason.

Russia was an expansionist empire like the UK, Prussia, Austria of France so it is ointless to blame anyone.