The Hungarian Parliament approved the suspension of participation in the CFE Treaty

The Hungarian Parliament on Wednesday approved the suspension of the country’s participation in the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe. For this measure voted 177 parliamentarians, five were against. Next, the decision must be signed by the head of state.

NATO countries, including Hungary, adopted a joint statement last November that they would permanently suspend participation in the CFE Treaty. This was a reaction to Russia’s withdrawal from the treaty on November 7, 2023. Participation in the agreement was suspended by Moscow back in 2007; by November 2023, the final procedures were completed.

In December last year, the United States withdrew from the CFE Treaty, in March of this year – Poland and Moldova, in April – Turkey and Belarus. Other NATO countries are also pursuing formal procedures to denounce it.

• The CFE Treaty was signed in 1990 in Paris by representatives of 16 NATO countries and six Warsaw Pact countries. The document was updated in 1999, but was ratified by only four participants – Moscow, Kiev, Astana and Minsk. It introduced for the parties to the treaty a limit on the number of battle tanks, armored vehicles, artillery, attack helicopters and aircraft.
• In 2007, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree suspending the treaty and related international documents until it was ratified by NATO countries. The North Atlantic Alliance then said that Moscow’s actions do not contribute to security in Europe.