Stoltenberg called for strengthening NATO in connection with Russia’s withdrawal from the CFE Treaty

Russia’s withdrawal from the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) demonstrates the need to strengthen NATO. This was stated by the Secretary General of the military alliance Jens Stoltenberg at a press conference in Berlin.

According to him, after the Russian Federation left the treaty, the main arms control mechanisms stopped working. He also recalled that Moscow suspended participation in the Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (START), as well as in the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF Treaty).

“All of this has made the world more dangerous and demonstrates the importance of strengthening NATO,” Stoltenberg said (quote according to TASS).

At midnight on November 7, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced the completion of the procedure for Russia’s withdrawal from the CFE Treaty. The law on the denunciation of the CFE Treaty was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin on May 29, 2023. The Kremlin explained that this mechanism was no longer alive, and Moscow, with this document, brought the situation in line with what was happening de facto.

After this, NATO countries reportedthat they will suspend participation in the CFE Treaty “for as long as necessary.” The UK Foreign Office said NATO allies would work with “like-minded nations” to develop and implement “voluntary stabilization measures”.

The White house statedthat the United States will suspend its obligations under the treaty on December 7. It added that such a measure would strengthen NATO’s deterrence and defense capabilities by removing restrictions affecting planning, deployment and exercises.

The Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) was signed in Paris on November 19, 1990 between 16 NATO member states, including Belgium, Great Britain, Germany, the United States and other countries, as well as members of the Warsaw Pact Organization (Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland , Romania, USSR and Czechoslovakia). In 2007, Russia suspended participation in the treaty until NATO countries “began to implement this document in good faith.”