 The Soviet Union supported Germany in the war effort against Western Europe through the German–Soviet Commercial Agreement with exports of raw materials (phosphates, chromium and iron ore, mineral oil, grain, cotton, rubber).These and other export goods were being transported through Soviet and occupied Polish territories and thereby circumvented the British naval blockade of Germany.The Soviet Union also aided the Nazis by setting up a naval base near Murmansk in support of Hitler's U-boat war against Britain.