Belarus to pull away from Europe conventional forces treaty already abandoned by Russia

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — The authoritarian president of Belarus says his country will suspend participation in the troubled Conventional Forces in Europe treaty that once was a key security doctrine for the continent. President Alexander Lukashenko has introduced a bill calling for the suspension to the parliament, which is fully under his control. The treaty, signed in 1990, places limits on tanks, combat vehicles, warplanes and heavy artillery that can be deployed in Europe. It aimed at keeping a military balance between the West and the countries that were part of the Cold War-era Warsaw Pact. However, Russia withdrew entirely from the treaty in 2023 and NATO countries that were parties to it responded by suspending their participation.