How did the Congress of Berlin in 1878 reduce tensions among European powers?

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Map showing the German Empire as it existed from 1871 to 1918, with its borders outlined and regions color-coded. The map highlights the Kingdom of Prussia in green and the full extent of the German Empire in yellow, including regions such as Bavaria, Saxony, Westphalia, and East Prussia. Neighboring countries like France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Switzerland, Austria-Hungary, and the Russian Empire are also labeled. Major cities such as Berlin, Munich, and Hamburg are marked. — German Empire The German Empire, 1871–1918.

The Congress of Berlin (1878) reduced tensions among major European powers by revising the Treaty of San Stefano, which had been signed following the Russo-Turkish War.1

Dominated by German chancellor Otto von Bismarck, the congress addressed the international crisis by balancing competing imperial interests:1

Great Britain: The treaty denied Russia the ability to extend its naval power and ensured the Ottoman Empire remained a viable European power.1
Austria-Hungary: The settlement allowed the empire to occupy Bosnia and Herzegovina, thereby expanding its influence in the Balkans.1

While these diplomatic maneuvers temporarily averted a broader conflict, they did so at the cost of humiliating Russia and ignoring the national aspirations of Balkan peoples, which ultimately sowed the seeds for future regional instability.1