NATO allies slam Russia for CFE treaty withdrawal, to take retaliatory action

NATO allies said they would halt operations in retaliation to Russia’s decision on Tuesday to withdraw from the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, a significant post-Cold War accord. Russia formally withdrew from the security treaty, which restricted important categories of conventional armed forces, and accused the US of eroding security established after the Cold War by expanding NATO. “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 stated in a statement. According to it, the Russian action was just the most recent in a string of moves meant to erode Euro-Atlantic security. On December 7, the United States announced that it would no longer be bound by treaties. According to White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its exit from the treaty “fundamentally altered” the conditions surrounding it and changed the obligations of parties involved. In 2007, Russia withdrew from the treaty, and in 2015, it stopped actively participating. Sullivan stated that the United States and its allies will continue to be dedicated to successful conventional arms control, even in the face of Moscow’s persistent disdain for arms control. Anatoly Antonov, Russia’s ambassador to the US, stated early on Wednesday that Washington’s “favourite practise” was assigning blame for the collapse of the international security architecture. “With the decision to withdraw, Russia sends a clear signal - attempts to build military security in Europe without taking into account our concerns are doomed to failure,” Antonov said on the embassy’s Telegram channel. (With agency inputs)