U.S., NATO condemn Russian withdrawal from European arms treaty

A Russian honor guard marches at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow on November 3, 2023. The U.S. and NATO have condemned Russia’s withdrawal from a key post-Cold War arms treaty. PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES

REUTERS

Russia’s final withdrawal from a key post-Cold War agreement on conventional armed forces in Europe on November 7, 2023, drew strong condemnation from the United States and NATO, who said they would suspend participation in response.

Russia formally withdrew from the security treaty, which limited key categories of conventional armed forces, blaming the U.S. for undermining post-Cold War security with the enlargement of the NATO military alliance.

“Allies condemn Russia’s decision to withdraw from the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE), and its war of aggression against Ukraine which is contrary to the Treaty’s objectives,” NATO said in a statement.

The treaty withdrawal is just the latest Russian move to undermine Euro-Atlantic security, it said.

“Therefore, as a consequence, Allied States Parties intend to suspend the operation of the CFE Treaty for as long as necessary, in accordance with their rights under international law. This is a decision fully supported by all NATO Allies.”

The U.S. said it will suspend treaty obligations effective December 7, 2023.

Russia’s war against Ukraine and its withdrawal from the treaty “fundamentally altered” circumstances related to it and transformed participants’ obligations, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said.

Russia suspended participation in the treaty in 2007 and halted active participation in 2015.

Sullivan said that despite Moscow’s continued disregard for arms control, the United States and its allies will remain committed to effective conventional arms control.

Russia’s ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, said early in November 2023 on official embassy social media channels that shifting responsibility for the destruction of international security architecture was the latest attempt to bully Russia in Europe. He said no security arrangement that mattered could take place without Russian support.