Turkey to withdraw from Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe on 8 April

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has signed a decree announcing that the country will withdraw from the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) on April 8.

The decree has been published in the Resmi Gazete, Turkey's official journal.

The document points out that under the presidential decree, a decision has been made to suspend the implementation of the CFE treaty between the Republic of Turkey and other state parties, starting on April 8, 2024.

The CFE treaty, signed in Paris on November 19, 1990, was ratified by the Turkish government on July 1, 1992. The treaty limits the number of weapons and equipment in five basic categories (battle tanks, armored combat vehicles, artillery systems with a caliber of 100 mm and above, warplanes and attack helicopters) for the armed forces of 30 countries. It also provides for information exchanges and inspections.

Turkey's pro-government newspaper Yeni Safak notes that Russia pulled out of the CFE treaty in November 2023. After that, the US and NATO suspended their obligations under the treaty. Back then, Ankara expressed regret over the move by NATO allies and urged them to return to the treaty. The paper points out that Turkey made the current decision due to rising global tensions.

Turkish media outlets report, citing diplomatic sources, that according to Ankara, the treaty no longer makes sense as no one is actually complying with its terms in the present situation. However, the media note that Turkey's decision to suspend the implementation of its obligations may be reversible.