"President Vladimir Putin's decision to suspend Russia's participation in the Conventional Forces in Europe, or CFE, treaty is a potent political signal."Recently, Putin has made it clear that he no intention of cooperating with political actions or initiatives associated with President Bush and Washington, even after "the informal meeting at the start of this month between the US and Russian presidents at the Bush family's holiday home at Kennebunkport in Maine." This is even leading the UN to question just "how far Russia might go to block initiatives backed by Washington and its key allies."
"The Russians have been threatening to suspend their participation in the CFE treaty for several months." Now, Putin's patience has gone and he has suspended "various routine inspections, exchanges of data, and so on. President Putin's decree to suspend application of the treaty is not the same as a full-scale withdrawal - that would require a formal notification of the other parties".
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Although the CFE is no longer relevant, the decision to suspend it is. It demonstrates Putin's strong oppostition against the US, but at the same time, but also shows how Russia is beginning to make similar actions. As the article said, "in a sense Mr Putin is just demonstrating that what the Americans can do in the name of their vital interests, so Russia can also threaten in the name of its national interest." The thing to watch now will be how the West and UN react.
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