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Statement by Head of the Delegation of the Russian Federation to the Vienna Negotiations on Military Security and Arms Control Mr.Konstantin Gavrilov at the consultations of the Parties of the Agreement on Maximum Levels For Holdings of Conventional Arms and Equipment of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the People's Republic of Bulgaria, the Hungarian Republic, the Republic of Poland, Romania and the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic in Connection with the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, June 30, 2023

30 June 2023 22:01
1295-30-06-2023

Agenda item 1: «Questions relating to the withdrawal of the Russian Federation from the Budapest Agreement

Mr. Chairperson,

At the outset, allow me to thank the Hungarian side, as Depositary, for convening consultations pursuant to Article VI, paragraph 3, of the Agreement on Maximum Levels For Holdings of Conventional Arms and Equipment, signed in connection with the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces (CFE Treaty) in Budapest on 3 November 1990.

Today's meeting provides a good opportunity to recall that European conventional arms control arrangements were established in the specific historical circumstances of the end of the Cold War. Among them was the Budapest Agreement concluded on the wane of the inter-bloc confrontation, when the Warsaw Treaty Organization was about to finish its existence and German reunification had become a fait accompli.

Already in the new geopolitical context, on 15 May 1992, the eight post-Soviet states whose territories fell within the CFE Treaty area of application signed the Tashkent Agreement. Although it never entered into force, throughout the intervening years, the Contracting Parties have largely adhered to its provisions, the key one being the allocation of Soviet maximum levels for holdings of conventional arms and equipment, established by the Budapest Agreement.

In retrospect, we can safely say that arms control does not exist in a vacuum, it is undergoing erosion against the background of deepening dividing lines in Europe. During the Conference on the withdrawal of Russia from the CFE Treaty (Vienna, June 29, 2023), we set out in detail the reasons for this decision, and they are well known to our colleagues. Briefly speaking, it is the extraordinary events related to the subject matter of the Treaty that have jeopardized Russia's security and required the adoption of urgent measures.

As for the Budapest Agreement itself, it is inextricably linked with the CFE Treaty, and only the States Parties to the Treaty can implement it. Therefore, the Agreement shall cease to be in force for Russia precisely in connection with its withdrawal from the CFE Treaty. In other words, today we are not talking about the withdrawal of the Russian Federation from the Agreement, as it is set out in Article VI, paragraph 2, but about the fact that our country ceases to be a Party to it under paragraph 1 of the mentioned article.

This circumstance obviates the need for Russia to carry out the separate procedures necessary for the withdrawal from the Budapest Agreement, and, in particular, to state in our notification the reasons for withdrawal that are relevant to the contents of this particular document. However, it is obvious to us, that in view of the radical politico-military changes in Europe since the mid-1990s, the Budapest Agreement has become an anachronism. Suffice it to say that almost all states that signed the Treaty in the year 1990, de-facto joined "the group of States Parties that signed or acceded to the Treaty of Brussels of 1948 or the Treaty of Washington of 1949" and continue to be purely formally listed in the "Eastern group".

At the same time, we recognize that other Parties may see in the CFE Treaty and the Budapest Agreement instruments to maintain a mutual politico-military balance. We respect their sovereign choice and wish all other Parties to the Agreement, including the successor states of the USSR, every success in its further implementation. Of course, without Russia.

Let me remind you that the Budapest Agreement was suspended with respect to our country in 2007, this provision will remain in force until 00 o'clock on November 7, 2023. From this moment on, Russia will cease to be a Party to the Budapest Agreement.

Thank you for your attention.