Statement in connection with the suspension of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe by the Republic of Belarus

The Republic of Belarus suspends the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE Treaty). The relevant law was signed by the Head of State on May 24, 2024.

For more than thirty years Belarus has faithfully and fully fulfilled its obligations under the CFE Treaty. The Belarusian side took an active part in the negotiations on the adaptation of the Treaty to the changed geopolitical realities and became the first country to ratify the Agreement on the Adaptation of the CFE Treaty signed during the OSCE Istanbul Summit in November 1999, which objectively reflected the politico-military situation in Europe at that time and opened up opportunities for new states to accede to the Treaty. Regretfully, this document never entered into force due to the refusal of the majority of the CFE Treaty States Parties to ratify it under far-fetched pretexts.

The Belarusian side made every effort to preserve the existing CFE Treaty, which, despite all its shortcomings, remained the only multilateral legally binding instrument in the field of conventional arms control on the European continent. We were ready to implement the Treaty even despite explicitly unfriendly steps on the part of certain States Parties that had ceased to implement the CFE Treaty in relation to Belarus.

The decision by NATO member states to suspend the CFE Treaty has left us no choice. The suspension of the CFE Treaty by Belarus is a forced response aimed at ensuring the country's national security against the backdrop of the demolition of the existing conventional arms control regime in Europe and the ongoing escalation of politico-military tension in the region.

The adoption of the law does not mean Belarus’ withdrawal from the Treaty. We will be ready to resume implementation of the CFE Treaty provided that NATO member States that are parties to the Treaty return to its implementation.

Belarus intends to continue to observe national ceilings with regard to personnel and conventional armaments and equipment limited by the Treaty, subject to adequate restraint on the part of neighbouring states, primarily NATO member States, including in the immediate vicinity of its borders.

Belarus remains committed to conventional arms control as an integral element of ensuring security on the European continent and is interested in restoring its viability and effectiveness. In this regard, Belarus is ready to engage in a dialog on this issue with all countries involved on an equal and mutually respectful basis, taking into account each other's interests and concerns.