NEWS – Russia formally withdrew from the Treaty of Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) recently

THE TREATY ON CONVENTIONAL ARMED FORCES IN EUROPE (CFE)

• Landmark arms control agreement that aimed to enhance stability and security in Europe by establishing equal limits on key categories of conventional military equipment among member states
• Signed on November 19, 1990, in Paris and entered into force on July 17, 1992

Key provisions of the CFE Treaty include:

1. Equal Limits: The CFE Treaty set equal limits on five major categories of conventional military equipment for NATO and Warsaw Pact (later replaced by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, OSCE) member states. These categories are battle tanks, armored combat vehicles, artillery pieces, combat aircraft, and attack helicopters.
2. Territorial Ceilings: The treaty included territorial ceilings that limited the amount of conventional armaments that could be deployed in specific regions of Europe.
3. Information Exchange: Parties to the treaty were required to exchange information about their military forces, including data on equipment, manpower, and defense budgets. This transparency was intended to build confidence and reduce the risk of surprise attacks.
4. Inspections: The CFE Treaty included provisions for on-site inspections to verify compliance with the agreed-upon limits. Inspections were conducted to ensure that declared information accurately reflected the actual military capabilities of each state.