Estonia–Poland relations

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Estonian – Polish relations
Map indicating locations of Estonia and Poland

Estonia
Poland

Estonia–Poland relations is the official relationship between Estonia and Poland. Both nations are members of NATO, the European Union, OECD, OSCE, Bucharest Nine, Three Seas Initiative, United Nations, Council of Europe, Council of the Baltic Sea States, HELCOM and World Trade Organization.

History[]

See also: Polish Livonia

Estonia, then known as Livonia, was incorporated into the territory of Grand Duchy of Lithuania and later, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, which become Duchy of Livonia under Polish rule. The Livonian War further secured Polish authority, having halted Russian attempt to conquer the region.[1] Livonia didn't hold any significant position in the Commonwealth's history since it was divided between the Poles, Swedes and Danes;[2] as for its remoteness outside tax incomes,[3] and this would remain until both fell into the hand of the Russian Empire.

Under the Russian rule however, Livonia, and later Estonia, was seen to be the least oppressed under the rule of tsarist Russia and received a nominal level of autonomy, notably the rise of Orthodox Christianity;[4] however, Congress Poland and later Russian Poland did not receive similar sympathy, and was under complete oppression led by the Russian Imperial government.[5] Nonetheless, in 1905, unrests in Russia became widespread and it hit to Estonia and Poland. For the Estonians, their major opponent was not the Russians but the Germans at the time, but since the Germans were given privileges in Russia, anti-German unrest in Estonia aimed directly against tsarist authoritarian rule.[6] For the Poles, the Russians and Germans were both common oppressors, also rose up against both.[7]

After the end of World War I, both Estonia and Poland regained independence. However, increasing invasions from the Bolsheviks put two nations into one common front against the Soviet Russians. Estonia was not able to repel the Soviets, but Polish success in the Polish–Soviet War helped both to keep their independence.[8] From 1920s, Poland and Estonia were allies, though little contact between.

Following the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, Poland and Estonia were both invaded and occupied during World War II. Poland was occupied by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union since September 1939, while Estonia was occupied solely by the Soviet Union since June 1940.[9] Both nations were under common oppression, and many Poles and Estonians were forcefully deported by the Russians to Siberia.[10][11] In the course of Operation Barbarossa, from mid-1941, both countries were entirely occupied by Germany.

In 1944–1945, both countries were again occupied by Soviet forces. Soviet repressions and deportations of both Estonian[10] and Polish citizens continued. Poland's formal independence was eventually restored, although with a Soviet-installed communist regime, while Estonia was annexed into the Soviet Union, thus both had no relationship until the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Today[]

Meeting of prime minister of Estonia Kaja Kallas and prime minister of Poland Mateusz Morawiecki in Tallinn in 2021

With both Estonia and Poland freed from Soviet oppression, two countries reestablished tie in 1991.

Since 1991, trades and cooperation between Estonia and Poland had increased dramatically, turning them into economic and political partnership. Estonia considers Poland as its priority on their relations.[12]

Both Estonia and Poland are member of NATO[13] and the European Union.[14] Their relations have enjoyed a significant boost since 2000s. The threat from Russia, which increased under Vladimir Putin, has also prompted two countries to set closer tie together against a common foe.[15]

There is a small dispute between Estonia and Poland over desynchronisation, which Poland was reluctant to establish the AC link to Estonia.[16]

The Polish Air Force takes part in the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission to guard the airspace over the Baltic states including Estonia.

In November 2021, during the Belarus–European Union border crisis, Estonia decided to send 100 troops from the Estonian Defence Forces to help Poland.[17]

Resident diplomatic missions[]

  • Estonia has an embassy in Warsaw.
  • Poland has an embassy in Tallinn.

  • Embassy of Estonia in Warsaw

  • Embassy of Poland in Tallinn

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Livonian or First Northern War, 1558-1583".
  2. ^ http://www.estonica.org/en/History/1558-1710_Estonia_under_Swedish_rule/Estonia_divided_between_Sweden,_Poland_and_Denmark/
  3. ^ Stone, Daniel Z. (July 2014). The Polish-Lithuanian State, 1386-1795. ISBN 9780295803623.
  4. ^ http://www.orthodox.ee/estonian-orthodox_eng.html
  5. ^ "Poland - Partitioned Poland".
  6. ^ http://www.communistcrimes.org/en/Database/Estonia/Estonia-Communist-Era
  7. ^ "Russian Revolution of 1905".
  8. ^ "Bolshevik War: This is how Poland stopped the advance of communism in Europe".
  9. ^ "Life in Estonia at the outset of the WW2 and occupation". 10 July 2015.
  10. ^ a b "Estonia remembers the Soviet deportations". 14 June 2021.
  11. ^ "The Katyn Massacre - Basic Facts". Institute of National Remembrance. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
  12. ^ "Relations with Poland are Estonia's priority - Ilves". 24 July 2013.
  13. ^ Radcliffe, Christopher (January 2018). "NATO Enlargement: Poland, the Baltics, Ukraine and Georgia". Honors Undergraduate Theses.
  14. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2018-01-11. Retrieved 2019-04-17.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  15. ^ "Massive NATO exercise starts in Poland, Baltics".
  16. ^ "Estonia likely to give in to Poland's demands on desynchronisation". 25 June 2018.
  17. ^ Sten Hankewitz. "Estonia to send 100 troops to Poland to help counter hybrid aggression". Estonian World. Retrieved 25 December 2021.

External links[]

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