Final answer:
Kiev and Constantinople were initially connected through military, diplomatic, and economic interactions. Prince Vladimir I of Kiev formed an alliance with the Byzantine emperor Basil II, leading to the conversion of Kievan Rus' to Christianity and the adoption of Byzantine art and architecture. Constantinople served as a major hub for trade and economic cooperation, receiving goods from the Silk Road.
Step-by-step explanation:
Kiev and Constantinople were initially connected through a combination of military confrontations, diplomatic interactions, and economic cooperation. Kievan Rus' and the Byzantine Empire had periods of both trade and conflict. However, in 987, Prince Vladimir I of Kiev formed an alliance with the Byzantine emperor Basil II, leading to the conversion of Kievan Rus' to Christianity and the adoption of Byzantine art and architecture. Constantinople, as the capital of the Byzantine Empire, served as a major hub for trade and economic cooperation with various societies, including Kievan Rus'. It was strategically located as a terminus point of the Silk Road, receiving goods from China, India, and beyond.