Russia denounces Conventional Armed Forces in Europe to strengthen own security

The Russian Parliament, the State Duma, denounced the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE Treaty).

Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergei Ryabkov said that the collective West made it impossible for Russia to keep her presence in the CFE Treaty. Western countries should draw conclusions from that, he added.

Russia is no longer interested in discussing CFE with countries of the West that remain part of it, Ryabkov said.

It will take about six months to fully complete Russia's pull out from the treaty in accordance with its provisions.

Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs Leonid Slutsky believes that the CFE Treaty has long existed only on paper. Russia's decision to denounce the treaty will only strengthen Russia's security, he said.

"Russia suspended its participation in the CFE Treaty back in 2007 due to the hypocritical position of the NATO bloc,” he noted.

Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said that after the denunciation of the CFE Treaty, Russia will maximise production of weapons, military and special equipment, as well as weapons of destruction.

"Today, in line with previously suspended international obligations, nothing stops us from placing our weapons wherever we want to protect our national interests. Including the Russian part of Europe,” Medvedev wrote.

The CFE Treaty was signed on November 19, 1990 in Paris by representatives of 16 NATO countries and 6 member states of the Warsaw Pact Organisation. The agreement came into force on November 9, 1992, after the collapse of the Eastern Bloc and the USSR.