The Brest-Litovsk Peace Conference of 1918: The Issue of Ukrainian Unity

Abstract

The article is devoted to the work of the delegation of the Ukrainian People's Republic at the Brest-Litovsk Peace Conference of 1918, the conclusion of a peace treaty between Ukraine and the countries of the Quadruple Alliance. The peace treaty concluded by the UNR with the countries of the Quadruple Alliance in Brest-Litovsk on February 9, 1918, was the first major foreign policy act of Ukraine and the first peace in the World War of 1914–1918. On the part of the UNR, this was a forced step. The Central Rada did not intend to violate the allied obligations of the Russian Empire towards the Entente powers, but the conclusion of an armistice at the front by the Bolshevik government of Russia and the separate negotiations it initiated with the Quadruple Bloc forced the UNR government to join the peace process in Brest-Litovsk to protect the national interests of Ukrainians.

   The place of Ukraine in the policy of the Central Powers in connection with the peace negotiations is analyzed. The work notes the initiative of Ukrainian diplomats who, contrary to government instructions to act together with the Russians, disregarded the instructions, convinced of Russia's hostile plan. The UNR delegation began independent negotiations with the Central Powers, which represented the entire Quadruple Alliance. Two conferences began to be held in parallel in Brest: one between the Quadruple Alliance and Russia, the other between the Quadruple Alliance and Ukraine.

According to the terms of the peace treaty, the UNR was to receive the Kholm region occupied by the Central Powers. Austria undertook to create an autonomous crown region from Ukrainian Eastern Galicia and Northern Bukovina. Within the region, Ukrainians were to be granted self-government. That is, in territorial and political matters, Ukrainian diplomats achieved the maximum possible.

The conclusion of the Brest-Litovsk Peace Treaty, which was beneficial for Ukraine, was a significant success of Ukrainian diplomacy. After that, the military assistance of the Central Powers allowed the Central Rada to liberate Ukraine from the Russian-Bolshevik invasion. This continued the existence of the Ukrainian state, its struggle for independence.