Although the United States and the United Kingdom , the allies of the USSR against Germany during World War II , recognized the occupation of the Republic of Estonia by USSR at Yalta Conference in 1945 '' de facto '' , the governments of the rest of the western democracies did not recognize the seizure of Estonia by the USSR in 1940 and in 1944 de jure according to the Sumner Welles ' declaration of 23 July 1940 ; such countries recognized Estonian diplomats and consuls who still functioned in many countries in the name of their former governments . These ageing diplomats persisted in this anomalous situation until the ultimate restoration of Estonia 's independence in 1991
Yalta Conference
Yalta Conference
Estonia–Russia relations