Poland has joined its Nato allies in suspending the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE), the Polish foreign ministry has announced.

The ministry reported on its website that on November 7, members of the North Atlantic Alliance had issued a statement announcing their intention to suspend the CFE Treaty.

According to the statement, the move came in response to Russia’s conduct, which was described as contrary to international law, in particular the CFE Treaty. Russia has not fulfilled its obligations under the CFE Treaty since 2007.

Signed in 1990 and coming into force in 1992, the year Poland joined, the treaty reduced the then existing offensive conventional armaments held by Nato and former Warsaw Pact countries.

The aim of the treaty was also that restrictions on armaments and the provision of their details would reduce the possibility of launching a surprise attack and initiating large-scale offensive actions.

“In 2022 Russia, with the participation of Belarus, committed another act of flagrant violation of the prohibition of the use of force against Ukraine, also a state party to the CFE Treaty,” said the foreign ministry on its website. “On November 7 this year, Russia formally ceased to be a party to this agreement.”

The ministry said that under those conditions, Poland cannot remain obliged to fulfil that agreement and “shall take formal steps to suspend the CFE Treaty indefinitely and in its entirety.”

“Russia has violated the letter and spirit of the Treaty by failing to implement its provisions for many years, and then by launching an unlawful, unprovoked war,” the ministry added.