page_title: Latvia–Russia relations
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Latvia–Russia relations / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Dmitry Medvedev with President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers
context_page_description: Latvia–Russia relations is the bilateral foreign relations between Latvia and Russia. Latvia has an embassy in Moscow and two consulates general: in Pskov and Saint Petersburg. Russia has an embassy in Riga and two consulates general: in Daugavpils and Liepāja.
  Both Russia and Latvia are members of UN, OSCE and Council of Europe. They have recognized each other since 1991.
context_section_description: From 1920 to 1940, relations between the countries had existed. On August 11, 1920, the Republic of Latvia and the Russian Soviet Federal Socialist Republic signed a peace treaty. Article 14 of the Treaty provided for the establishment of diplomatic and consular contacts between the parties upon ratification of the peace treaty. In 1922 USSR had been founded, which took over the foreign affairs of its member states (including Russia).
  The Latvian Embassy was located in Moscow from 1920 to 1940. Latvia's first diplomatic representative in Soviet Russia was Ambassador Jānis Vesmanis, accredited on 2 November 1920. Latvian consular representations were established during the Civil War period (1919-1920) in Blagoveshchensk and Murmansk. Consular functions were also performed by representatives of the Latvian Interim Government: in Northern Russia by Alfreds Ikners (Archangelsk), in Southern Russia by Kristaps Bahmanis (Kiev) and Rudolfs Liepins (Don and Kuban). From June 1919 to October 1920, Latvia was also represented in Siberia and the Urals by Jānis Mazpolis (Vladivostok).
  The Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940, which included deportations to Siberian Gulags (June deportation), created a large degradation of Latvian-Russian relations. Nazi Germany then occupied Latvia in 1941 German occupation of Latvia during World War II, until the USSR returned in 1944 to resume occupation, resulting in further deportations. During this period many Latvians fled with the retreating Germans or to Sweden.
  The Soviet occupation dramatically increased the number of Russians living in Latvia in a short space of time, often replacing those who were deported, executed or had fled. The high influx of Russians and the removal of Latvian as the official language caused further deterioration in the Latvia-Russian relations between citizens.
  In 1991, Latvia regained independence from the USSR through the Latvian independence and democracy poll, 1991.
  In 2007, the border treaty between the two states was ratified after Latvia dropped a claim for a small pre-World War II territory that's currently part of modern Russia.
  On December 13, 2018 Latvian parliament adopted a declaration condemning the aggressive actions of Russia in the Kerch Strait incident.
caption: Latvian President Valdis Zatlers with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in a signing ceremony during Zatlers' 2010 official visit in Russia.
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