Treaty of Tartu

The 1920 peace treaty between Finland and Soviet Russia that recognized Finland’s independence and established their border.

Finnish Declaration of Independence: The declaration adopted by Finland’s parliament on 6 December 1917, asserting independence from Russia. It established the independent state whose recognition Finland sought in the treaty.
Finnish–Soviet border: The international boundary separating Finland and Soviet Russia, later the Soviet Union. The treaty’s central territorial outcome was a legally defined border.
Finnish sovereignty: Finland’s authority as an independent state to govern its territory and conduct its foreign relations. Soviet Russia formally recognized Finland’s independence in the treaty.
Treaty of Tartu (Russia–Estonia): The 1920 peace treaty in which Soviet Russia recognized Estonia’s independence and agreed on a border. It was a separate treaty negotiated in the same city and year, not Finland’s agreement.
Russian Revolution: The upheavals of 1917 that overthrew the Russian Empire and brought Bolshevik rule to power. The revolution weakened Russian authority and made Finland’s separation possible.
Petsamo: A region on the Arctic coast of northeastern Finland, transferred to Finland under the treaty. Its acquisition gave Finland access to the Arctic Ocean.
Petsamo–Kirkenes Offensive: A 1944 Soviet offensive that drove German forces from the Petsamo region and northern Norway. Petsamo’s transfer to Finland made the region a later front in World War II.
Treaty of Tartu (Russia–Latvia): The 1920 peace treaty in which Soviet Russia recognized Latvia’s independence and agreed on a border. Its parallel settlement with another Baltic state helps distinguish Finland’s treaty.
Finnish Civil War: The 1918 conflict between Finland’s socialist Reds and conservative Whites after independence. Its aftermath shaped Finland’s security concerns and negotiations with Soviet Russia.
East Karelia: A region east of Finland inhabited largely by Karelians and incorporated into Soviet Russia after the treaty. Finland abandoned its claim to East Karelia in exchange for other settlements.

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