Russia announced its withdrawal from the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) this Tuesday. The NATO allies didn’t hesitate to respond, declaring their intention to follow suit. These drastic steps have sparked concerns about the stability of Euro-Atlantic security.

The CFE, a pivotal agreement signed in 1990, restricted the type and amount of conventional military equipment that NATO and Warsaw Pact countries could deploy. The original signatories included the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, and others from NATO, along with six Warsaw-Treaty states such as Poland, Romania, and the Soviet Union.

However, Russia has been distancing itself from the treaty since 2007, when Vladimir Putin declared a suspension of Russia’s obligations under the treaty. In 2015, Russia announced it would not actively participate in the treaty. The recent withdrawal comes on the back of Finland joining NATO and Sweden applying for membership, a move that Russia claims disrupts the security architecture based on cooperation established at the end of the Cold War.

NATO condemned Russia’s decision, stating it undermined Euro-Atlantic security and was contrary to the treaty’s objectives. The organization also accused Russia of disregarding key principles of arms control, such as reciprocity, transparency, compliance, verification, and host nation consent. With Russia flouting the rules, NATO declared the situation unsustainable and decided to suspend the operation of the CFE Treaty for as long as necessary.

In a bold statement, NATO invited other states that share its commitment to reducing military risk and building trust to join their efforts in increasing predictability and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area. This decision, fully supported by all NATO Allies, is a direct response to Russia’s disregard for the treaty.

The White House backed NATO’s move, stating that a situation where the US and NATO allies are constrained by the treaty while Russia, with the largest armed forces in Europe, continues to wage war against Ukraine, would be unacceptable.

This high-stakes chess game between NATO and Russia has left the world on edge. The withdrawal from the treaty by both parties threatens to destabilize the delicate balance of power in the Euro-Atlantic region.