"In violation of previous agreements, NATO members' military resources are being built up next to our borders," Putin said at a Defense Ministry meeting with senior military staff. "Certainly, we cannot allow ourselves to remain indifferent to this obvious muscle-flexing."
He said Russia had been forced to impose a moratorium on the Conventional Forces in Europe treaty as the majority of other signatories had failed to ratify an adapted version of the cold war-era agreement.
In a widely anticipated move, both houses of the Russian parliament have unanimously supported Putin's initiative to suspend Russia's participation in the CFE treaty, which the Kremlin calls discriminatory. The measure becomes effective on December 12.
"I would like to emphasize that it is a forced, but necessary measure," the Russian president said. "We will not observe anything unilaterally."
At the same time, Putin said Russia would consider resuming its participation in the CFE treaty if other signatories fulfilled their obligations under the arms control accord.
"Russia will consider renewing its commitments after our partners join an adapted version of the treaty and, most importantly, observe it," Putin said.
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