Stalin I.V. Letter to E. Benes

 January 23, 1945

Dear President, Mr. Benes! Today I learned from Comrade Gottwald that the Czechoslovak government is embarrassed by the events in the Transcarpathian Ukraine, believing that the Soviet government is thinking of unilaterally resolving the question of the Transcarpathian Ukraine, contrary to the treaty between our countries.

I must tell you that if you have such an assumption, it is based on a misunderstanding.

The Soviet government did not and could not forbid the population of Transcarpathian Ukraine to express their national will. This is all the more understandable since you yourself told me in Moscow about your readiness to transfer the Transcarpathian Ukraine to the Soviet Union, while, as you must remember, I did not give my consent to this at that time. But from the fact that the Soviet government did not forbid the Transcarpathian Ukrainians to express their will, it by no means follows that the Soviet government allegedly intends to violate the treaty between our countries and unilaterally resolve the issue of Transcarpathian Ukraine. Such an assumption would be insulting to the Soviet government.

Since the question of Transcarpathian Ukraine was raised by the population of Transcarpathian Ukraine itself, it will, of course, have to be resolved. But this question can only be settled by agreement between Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union before the end of the war with Germany, or after the end of the war, when both governments find it expedient.

Please believe that the Soviet government has no intention of inflicting any damage on the interests of the Czechoslovak Republic and its prestige. On the contrary, the Soviet Government is fully determined to render the Czechoslovak Republic every possible assistance in the cause of its liberation and restoration.

Sincerely

I. Stalin

Soviet-Czechoslovak relations during the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945 Documents and materials.

M., 1960. S. 221–222.

WUA of the Russian Federation. F. 06. Op. 7. P. 51. D. 820. L. 1.