The Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) eventually lost its relevance after Finland’s and Sweden’s applications for NATO membership. This was announced by Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergei Ryabkov, his statement was posted on the website of the Russian diplomatic department.
“Recent events – Helsinki’s and Stockholm’s applications for NATO membership, Finland’s admission to the alliance and Finland’s conclusion of an agreement with the United States, which throws the bases for the deployment of American forces on Finnish territory – have significantly worsened the military-political situation in Europe. Under these conditions, the CFE Treaty has finally become a relic of the past”, indicates the text.
Ryabkov pointed out that NATO member countries ignored the treaty when the alliance expanded east. That is why, according to the deputy minister, Russia suspended the CFE treaty in 2007.
“At the same time, they left the door open, giving Western countries an opportunity to change their minds and use common sense. Even then, there was a severe shortage there, so the situation did not improve,” the minister summed up.
He also added that the question of denouncing the treaty had been raised for a long time, since it was already outdated and an attempt to adapt it had failed due to the “destructive position” of the countries of the alliance.
Earlier, military expert Viktor Litovkin explained why Russian President Vladimir Putin raised the issue of terminating the CFE treaty. According to Litovkin, the reason is that NATO did not ratify the new version of the document when the old one was no longer relevant.
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