The appointment of Maxim Maksimovich Litvinov as the People’s Commissariat for Foreign Affairs’ commissioner in London marked a significant milestone in the development of Soviet foreign policy. Litvinov’s primary task was to establish contacts with the British government and explain the goals and objectives of Soviet power. He was arrested on charges of subversive activity and later exchanged for the British diplomat Bruce Lockhart, who had been arrested in Russia. Following successful Anglo-Soviet prisonerof- war negotiations in Copenhagen, M. M. Litvinov signed agreements not only with Great Britain but also with Denmark, Italy, France, Belgium, and Austria. In addition to resolving the issue of military and civilian prisoners, these agreements included a number of fundamental norms of international law. He also secured agreement for the dispatch of the first ship carrying vital medical supplies to the Soviet Republic, which significantly eased the economic blockade in place at the time. As plenipotentiary and trade representative in Tallinn, M. M. Litvinov performed a variety of duties, covering a wide range of activities, from politics and economic relations to countering White Guard elements on Estonian territory and arranging the supply of various goods. M. M. Litvinov’s diplomatic activities from 1918 to 1921 demonstrate his transformation from an underground revolutionary and agitator into an experienced diplomat adept at defending the interests of Soviet Russia on the international stage. This period was marked by his participation in various conferences and negotiations, where he proved himself a skilled negotiator and an ardent defender of Soviet positions.
Maxim Maksimovich Litvinov; People’s Commissariat for Foreign Affairs; diplomatic activity; negotiations; agreements.