Is the Tartu Peace Treaty still relevant today?

LAAS LEIVAT

One hundred years ago, on February 2, 1920, the Republic of Estonia and the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR) signed the Treaty of Tartu. The Treaty declared the end of the War of Independence and by it Moscow recognized Estonia’s independence and agreed to a border. This meant that Estonia’s independence would be voluntarily recognized in perpetuity.

Specifically Article II of the treaty clearly states that “Russia unreservedly recognizes the independence and sovereignty of the State of Estonia, and renounces voluntarily and forever all sovereign rights possessed by Russia over the Estonian people and territory.”

The treaty was ratified by the REFSR two days later on February 4th and by the Estonian Constituent Assembly on the 13th of February.

After Estonia won the War of Independence, other nations were reluctant to recognize Estonia’s sovereignty. Russia had been on the winning side with Western allies in the WWI victory over Germany. It was after the signing of the treaty with the RSFSR in 1920, that the independence of Estonian was recognized by other nations and the League of Nations accepted Estonia as a member.

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