The article is devoted to the events of the Soviet-Polish war of 1919– 1920, particularly the geopolitical aspect of this problem. The formation of the Versailles system was accompanied by the struggle of various international forces for spheres of influence. The Soviet-Polish war became a manifestation of this clash, expressed in the confrontation between Poland, acting under the auspices of France, and Soviet Russia, relying on all the radical left forces of Europe. On the basis of archival documents and recent research by historians, the article considers the struggle of various political forces in Europe on the issue of the Soviet-Polish war, the role of the Comintern in the events of 1920, disagreements on tactical issues in the leading circles of Poland and the Bolshevik Party, and the position of European social democracy. Significant attention is given to negotiations with the leaders of the Second International on supporting the Bolsheviks in the «revolutionary offensive». The author analyses the contradictions between the aspirations of the European Communist Parties, the leaders of the ECCI, and the national interests of Soviet Russia. Despite the international rhetoric, the Bolshevik leadership tried to strengthen the country's international position, using an alliance with the European communist and leftsocialist movement, as well as the support of the powers interested in transforming the Versailles system. The national interests of Soviet Russia turned out to be more important for the Bolshevik leadership than international objectives. Therefore, the utopian idea of «world revolution » and the destruction of the Versailles system after the military failures of 1920 was reconsidered, giving way to a policy of peaceful coexistence and the desire to achieve political recognition. The Peace of Riga in 1921 was a compromise between the great powers and Poland on the one hand, and Soviet Russia on the other. The Versailles system was established in a version that suited the Russian state more than it could have been. Despite the loss of part of the territories, there were also positive results: the socialist governments of Belarus and Ukraine followed Moscow, and consequently, Russia's geopolitical position was strengthened. The Bolshevik leadership afterwards also used the contradictions between the great powers, balancing between revolutionary and real politics, while strengthening the international positions of the Soviet state.
Soviet-Polish war of 1919–1920; international relationships; Poland; Russia; Europe; communist; socialist parties; Comintern.