The treaty of Rapallo as a factor of international relations on the Central European periphery of the Versailles system (1922–1925)

Abstract

On the basis of the core – periphery paradigm of international relations system and the associated concept of regional subsystems, the analysis of the impact of the Rapallo treaty on international relations in the Central European subsystem of the Versailles system is carried out. It is established that the formation of prerequisites for the conclusion of the Rapallo treaty is largely related to the specifics of the Central European regional subsystem. It included states that were characterised by a different attitude to the Versailles system. Russia, which had not signed the Versailles treaty, was located on its border, but through the Riga treaty it actually became an actor within the Central European subsystem. The Rapallo Treaty was based on the common desire of Germany and Russia to destroy the international order that was established in the region by the Versailles and Riga treaties. This posed a threat to the international positions of a number of States in the region interested in preserving the Versailles system. The Rapallo treaty helped to strengthen this trend in the policy of the leading Western states.