Treaty of Friendship, Mutual Assistance, and Postwar Collaboration between the Soviet Union and Polish Republic
peace; convinced that the consolidation of friendship between
the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia corresponds to the vital inter-
ests of the two peoples, and best serves the further economic
development of the two countries, have... agreed on the fol-
lowing:
Article 1. Each of the Contracting Parties will continue the
struggle in cooperation with one another and with all the
United Nations against Germany until final victory. The two
Contracting Parties pledge themselves to render each other mil-
itary and other assistance and support of every kind.
Article 2. If one of the Contracting Parties should in the
post-war period be drawn into military operations against Ger-
many, which would have resumed her aggressive policy, or
against any other State which would have joined Germany
either directly or in any other form in a war of this nature, the
other Contracting Party shall immediately render military or
any other support with all the means available.
Article 3. The two Contracting Parties state that they will
participate, in the spirit of closest cooperation, in all interna-
tional activities designed to ensure peace and security of peo-
ples, and will make their contribution for attaining these lofty
purposes.
The Contracting Parties state that the application of the
present Treaty will be in accordance with international princi-
ples in the acceptance of which they have participated.
Article 4. Each of the Contracting Parties undertakes not to
conclude any alliance and not to take part in any coalition
directed against the other party.
Article 5. The two Contracting Parties state that after the ter-
mination of the present war they will act in a spirit of friendship
and cooperation for the purpose of further developing and con-
solidating the economic and cultural ties between the peoples of
the two countries.
Article 6. The present Treaty comes into force immediately it
is signed and is subject to ratification in the shortest possible
time. The exchange of ratification documents will be effected in
Belgrade as early as possible.
The present Treaty will remain in force for a period of
twenty years. If one of the Contracting Parties at the end of this
twenty years period does not, one year before the expiration of
this term, announce its desire to renounce the Treaty, it will
remain in force for the following five years, and so on each time
until one of the Contracting Parties gives written notice of its
desire to terminate the efficacy of the Treaty one year before the
termination of the current five-year period.
4.1324 Treaty of Friendship, Mutual Assis-
tance, and Postwar Collaboration between the
Soviet Union and Polish Republic
Alliance Members:Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Poland
Signed On:April 21, 1945, in the city of Moscow. In force until April
7, 1989.
Alliance Type:Defense Pact (Type I)
Source:United Nations Treaty,no. 70.
SUMMARY
This alliance was signed in the final days of World War II as Polish
troops were fighting alongside the Soviet Red Army in order to push
Germany out of Poland. The alliance was formed with the Polish
Communists rather than the Polish government in exile in Britain,
and this became a minor issue during the postwar period. Key leaders
of the exiled government returned to form a unified government,
mostly to prevent complete domination of the government by Soviet
occupation forces. Their goal was not realized, however, and Commu-
nist Party control of Poland lasted until the final days of the Soviet
Union. This alliance, amended several times during the cold war, was
considered dead when the Communist Poles relinquished power fol-
lowing an accord with Poland’s Solidarity leader, Lech Walesa.Alliance Text
The President of the National Council of the People’s Republic
of Poland and the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics,
Being inflexibly resolved jointly to carry on the war against
the German aggressor until complete and final victory is
achieved;
Desiring, at this critical turning-point in the history of
Soviet-Polish relations, to consolidate the friendly, allied co-
operation established between Poland and the USSR during the
common struggle against German imperialism;
Being persuaded that the further strengthening of good-
neighbourly and friendly relations between Poland and the
adjacent Soviet Union is in accordance with the vital interests of
the Polish and Soviet peoples;
Being convinced that the maintenance of friendship and
close co-operation between the Polish and Soviet peoples will
further the successful economic development of both countries,
both during and after the war;
Being anxious to give all possible support after the war to the
cause of international peace and security;
Have resolved for this purpose to conclude the present
Treaty and have appointed as their Plenipotentiaries:
The President of the National Council of the People’s
Republic of Poland: Edward Osóbka-Morawski, Prime Minister
and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland;
The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Union of
Soviet Socialist Republics: Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin, Chair-
man of the Council of People’s Commissars of the USSR,
Who, after having exchanged their full powers, found in
good and due form, have agreed on the following provisions:
Article 1. The High Contracting Parties will continue, jointly
with all the United Nations, the fight against Germany until
final victory. In this fight the High Contracting Parties agree to
render each other military and other assistance by all the means
in their power.
Article 2. Believing that it is necessary, in the interests of the
security and prosperity of the Polish and Soviet peoples, to