MPs vote to suspend conventional armed forces treaty

April 17, Pozirk. Belarusian MPs have approved the first reading of a bill suspending Belarus’ commitments under the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) in a move that was approved by Alaksandar Łukašenka on April 5, the lower chamber’s press office reports.
The legislation has yet to be approved by the National Assembly’s upper chamber and signed into law by the head of state.
Dating back to the last years of the Cold War, the CFE Treaty was designed to ensure transparency of conventional weapons and armed forces in Europe. Moscow withdrew from the treaty in 2023, citing a confrontation with the West, while Minsk remained a party.
Belarus may also consider terminating the CFE Treaty because it is outdated, said Deputy Foreign Minister Juryj Ambrazievič who presented the bill to the MPs.
His statement follows Łukašenka’s assurances that Belarus would not withdraw from the CFE Treaty completely. Minsk would not terminate internal procedures related to its implementation in the Armed Forces, adhering to the established limits on weapons and military personnel, he noted in early April.
In October 2023, the Belarusian ruler approved the suspension of Belarus’ commitments under the CFE Treaty with regard to Poland and the Czech Republic after both countries halted cooperation with Belarus over Minsk’s complicity in Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Belarus thus renounced its legal obligation to allow inspections of its conventional arms and equipment and to exchange information on military capabilities with Poland and the Czech Republic.
The CFE Treaty limited Belarus’ conventional weapons to no more than 1,800 main battle tanks, 2,800 armored vehicles, 1,615 artillery systems, 294 combat aircraft and 80 attack helicopters.
Belarus suspends conventional armed forces treaty with Poland, Czechia
- EconomyBelarus announces another rise in fuel pricesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyLithuania intercepts 61st cigarette-smuggling drone from Belarus in 2026The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, PoliticsŁukašenka enthusiastic about Minsk-Moscow high-speed rail linkThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityDefense minister praises training camps for agriculture workersThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Security, SocietyEmergency workers to drill near NPPThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyIsraeli man charged in Belarus over undeclared cashThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsPolish university to host Pačobut for lecture on authoritarianismThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, Politics, SecurityBIC flags Dubai real estate owned by Belarusian businessmenThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyMZKT continues cooperating with Russia’s defense industry, BelPol saysThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Economy, Politics
- PoliticsTrump nominates Belarus negotiator Coale as special envoy for hostage affairsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelarus’ gold and foreign exchange reported down $610.3 million in SeptemberThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyVacancies for foreigners in Belarus continue to riseThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyNumber of teachers in Belarus down 13,300 since 2021The material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsEurope must stay true to its values and not yield to business interests, Cichanoŭskaja saysThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsBorrell: Repression in Belarus has not stopped since 1994The material is available only to POZIRK+
- SecurityUkraine warns about minefields along border with BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- Security, SocietyLithuania scrambles fighter jets, closes airport over unidentified flying object from BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+


