The initiative was submitted to the “parliament” on April 5. The justification stated that Russia withdrew from the CFE Treaty, after which the USA and its NATO allies froze participation in the treaty, which “meant the termination of its functioning”.
Belarus ratified the treaty in 1992. It provides for limits on the number of weapons and equipment in five categories, as well as information exchange. According to the “Ministry of Defense” of Belarus, the following limits were set for the republic: no more than 100 thousand personnel, 1,800 tanks, 2,600 armored combat vehicles, 1,615 pieces of artillery, 294 combat aircraft, and 80 attack helicopters.
The ministry noted that the number of armed forces amounted to 65 thousand people while hinting at its increase. Assistant to the “defense minister” of Belarus, Valeri Revenko, said that no increase in arms and military equipment was expected soon.
Russia withdrew from the CFE Treaty in November 2023, but its participation was suspended in 2007 by Putin's decree. In connection with the outbreak of a full-scale war, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that “it is impossible to return to the treaty in the current situation.” Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov noted that such prospects could be discussed only after the end of the “stormy period” in Russian-Western relations.
