A delegation representing the Seim was scheduled to depart for Trabzon on 2 March, however on that day it was announced that the peace talks at Brest-Litovsk had concluded, and the Russians would sign a peace treaty. Contained within the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was the agreement that the Russians would give up large swaths of land to the Ottoman Empire, including major regions in the Transcaucasus: the territories of Ardahan, Batum Oblast, and Kars Oblast, all of which had been annexed by Russia after the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878. With this sudden development the delegation postponed leaving, as they had to reconsider their stance. As the Transcaucasus had not been part of the negotiations at Brest-Litovsk, they sent messages to various governments across the world, stating as they were not a party in the peace talks they would not honour the treaty and would not evacuate the territories. The delegation would finally depart on 7 March and arrive at Trabzon the next day. On arrival, the delegation, comprising ten delegates and an additional fifty guards, was held up as the guards were asked to disarm. The unusually large delegation was made up of individuals selected more to represent the diverse composition of the Seim, with its various ethnic groups and political factions; on their arrival an Ottoman official to quipped that "f this was the entire population of Transcaucasia, it was indeed very small; if, however, it was only a delegation, it was much too large."