Flushed with victory, Charles felt that the fate of Europe was lying in his hands.
He had only to decide in which direction to move--whether to help to curb the ambition of the Grand Monarque in the West, or to carry out his first design of crushing the rising power of the Great Autocrat in the East.

He preferred the latter.

The question then arose whether to enter Russia by the North or by way of Poland, where he was now master.
The scale was turned probably by learning that the Cossacks in Little Russia were growing impatient and were ripe for rebellion against the Tsar.
Peter was anxious to prevent the invasion.

He had a wholesome admiration for the terrible Swedish army, not much confidence in his own, and his empire was in disorder.

He sent word to Charles that he would be satisfied to withdraw from the West if he could have one port on the Baltic.