Russia suspended its participation in a key pact limiting conventional forces in Europe under a decree signed by President Vladimir Putin today.
The decree suspended Russia's role in the Conventional Forces in Europe pact, which limits the number of heavy weapons deployed between the Atlantic Ocean and the Urals mountains.
Russia had threatened to withdraw from the pact, accusing the West of failing to ratify its amended version signed in 1999 to take into account new post-Cold War situation.
The CFE, signed in 1990, is one of the key post-Cold War security accords in Europe, which limits the use of armed forces and heavy weaponry and lays down measures aimed at confidence-building, transparency and cooperation between member states.
