Which treaty ended Russia's involvement in World War I?

• A. Treaty of Versailles
• B. Treaty of Saint-Germain
• C. Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
• D. Treaty of Paris

Answer: (C)

Ending a nation’s involvement in a war typically requires a formal peace agreement between that country and the belligerents it faces. For Russia in World War I, the decisive shift came after the 1917 revolution, when the new Soviet government chose to prioritize internal power and security over continuing the struggle on the battlefield. This led to a separate peace with the Central Powers.

The peace was sealed with the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in March 1918. By signing, Russia exited the war, but at a heavy cost: it ceded large tracts of territory to Germany and its allies, including areas that would become or have significant populations of other nations. This exit allowed Germany to redeploy troops to the Western Front, influencing the course of the war on that front.

Remember, this treaty ended Russia’s participation, not World War I itself. The broader war concluded later through other peace agreements, notably the treaties that followed the Allied victory in 1919.