The 1916 Declaration of Sainte-Adresse: Insights from the Russian Diplomatic Mission in Belgium

During the First World War, Belgium, whose permanent neutrality was violated by Germany, defended its territory and effectively fought alongside the Entente. Great Britain and France sought to secure a more active Belgian military role against Germany. However, King Albert I, unlike his government, opposed full integration of the Belgian army into the alliance, maintaining a policy of neutrality and desiring an early cessation of hostilities on Belgian soil. The monarch pursued peaceful settlement options, maintaining contacts not only with the Entente but also engaging in unofficial negotiations with Germany. Against this backdrop, in February 1916, Russia, Great Britain, and France signed the Declaration of Sainte-Adresse, which guaranteed Belgium’s participation in future peace negotiations and pledged support for its post-war recovery. This declaration, which elicited mixed reactions from Belgian leadership and society, has hitherto received little attention from Russian historians. Drawing on documents from the Russian diplomatic mission in Belgium held in the Archive of the Foreign Policy of the Russian Empire, as well as published personal correspondence of King Albert, the article analyses the preparation process of the declaration, reveals the aims of the Allies, their conception of Belgium’s role in the war and its place in the post-war order, and examines Russia’s involvement in its formulation. Furthermore, the article considers the Belgian leadership’s attempts to influence the final text of the document, the signing of which significantly shaped the country’s subsequent foreign policy trajectory.