Treaty of Tartu

The Treaties of Tartu were treaties between Bolshevist Russia on one side and the newly independent Estonia and Finland, previously belonging to Imperial Russia, on the other. They were negotiated and signed in Tartu in Estonia in year 1920 after the civil wars in Finland, in Estonia, and in Russia were ended. The treaties solved disputes and controversial issues connected with the new states' independence, as for instance border issues and transfer of ownership of Russian state property.

Russo–Estonian treaty

The treaty with Estonia (Estonian: Tartu rahu, literally "Tartu peace") was signed in February 2, 1920 after the Estonian War of Independence. The terms of the treaty stated that Russia renounced in perpetuity all rights to the territory of Estonia.

Russo–Finnish treaty

The Finnish-Russian border was decided in the Treaty of Tartu. Petsamo (in red) became Finnish, whilst Repola and Porajärvi (green) were handed back to Soviet Russia.

The treaty with Finland (Finnish: Tarton rauha) was signed 14 October after negotiations having lasted for four months. The delegation from Finland was led by Juho Kusti Paasikivi. The treaty confirmed that the Finnish-Soviet border would follow the old border between the Grand-Duchy of Finland and Imperial Russia. Finland additionally received Petsamo with its ice-free harbour at the Arctic Ocean. Already in the 1860s Tsar Alexander II had promised to join Petsamo to Finland in exchange of piece in Karelian Isthmus. Finland also agreed to leave the occupied areas of Repola (joined to Finland during the Viena expedition) and Porajärvi (joined during the Aunus expedition) in East Karelia. The treaty also had some articles besides area and border issus, including Soviet guarantee of free navigation of merchant ships from the Finnish ports in Lake Laatokka (Ladoga) to the Gulf of Finland via River Neva. Also, Finland agreed to disarm the coastal fortress in Ino opposite the Soviet island Kronstadt. The Finnish outer islands in the Gulf of Finland were demilitarized.

The Finnish delegation

• Juho Kusti Paasikivi
• Juho Vennola
• Alexander Frey
• Rudolf Walden
• Väinö Tanner
• Väinö Voionmaa
• Väinö Kivilinna

Soviet Delegation

• Jaan Antonovitš Behrsinin
• Platon Michailovitš Keršentsevin
• Nikolai Sergejevitš Tihmenjevin

See also

• List of Finnish treaties