West asked Russia not to withdraw from CFE Treaty – diplomat

Western countries expressed a request to Moscow to change its position and not withdraw from the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, said the head of the Russian delegation at the talks in Vienna on military security and arms control Konstantin Gavrilov.

At the same time, he noted that, given the current situation, it became impossible for the Russian side to negotiate with the West.

“What is done is done. We have been forced to do this for many years. Our patience is not limitless,” Gavrilov said.

He also noted that Western countries themselves would offer Moscow to start negotiations on this issue after some time. But, according to Gavrilov, in Russia they are well aware of how the West treats international law, and in Moscow they will “think a lot” before exploring the possibility of reaching specific agreements.

Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation announced that the country would finally withdraw from the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe on November 7. Moscow has notified the CFE member states of its decision to withdraw from the treaty 150 days after the relevant notification. In addition to the CFE Treaty, two more legally binding documents will lose their force: the Budapest Agreement of November 3, 1990 and the flank document of May 31, 1996.

Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev pointed out that now, in line with the previously suspended international obligations of Russia, nothing prevents the deployment of weapons to protect national interests where necessary, including the Russian part of Europe. The politician added that the Russian Federation will maximize the production of weapons, military and special equipment, as well as weapons of destruction.