The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed on March 3, 1918, between the Central Powers and Soviet Russia, marking Russia's exit from World War I. Under the terms of the treaty, Russia ceded vast territories, including Ukraine, Belarus, and the Baltic states, significantly altering the geopolitical landscape of Eastern Europe. This treaty allowed Germany to concentrate its forces on the Western Front, impacting the war's dynamics and the post-war order.

The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in 1918 not only marked a significant geopolitical shift but also inspired poets to grapple with themes of betrayal and the collapse of empires. Writers such as Anna Akhmatova and Vladimir Mayakovsky reflected on the emotional and ideological divides that emerged in the wake of revolutionary change.