Russia to terminate 1990s treaties with NATO states

Russian Ministry of Defence. / Komsomolskaya Pravda

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By bne IntelliNews December 19, 2025

The Russian government has authorised the Ministry of Defence to terminate international agreements concluded in the 1990s with several European countries, including Germany, Poland, Romania and Norway, according to a cabinet directive published on the legal acts portal on December 19, Komsomolskaya Pravda reported.

"The Ministry of Defence of Russia is authorised to terminate the following international treaties," the document states.

Agreements set to cease include those between Russia's Defence Ministry and Germany's Defence Ministry from April 1993, Poland's Defence Ministry from July 1993, and Norway's Defence Ministry from December 1995.

The termination of these agreements comes amid deteriorating relations between Russia and NATO member states since Russia's war in Ukraine began in February 2022. 

Western countries have imposed extensive sanctions on Russia and provided military support to Ukraine, whilst Russia has suspended or withdrawn from various cooperative arrangements with Western nations.

Russia is increasingly aggrieved at EU member Belgium home to the SWIFT payments transfer messaging system which has locked in billions of euros worth of Russian funds midstream. The EU has said those funds would be given to Kyiv as part of war reparations. 

The 1990s agreements were signed during a period of improved East-West relations following the Cold War's end, when Russia sought closer ties with European nations and NATO states. These treaties typically covered military cooperation, information exchange and confidence-building measures.

The move comes as Russia continues to reduce institutional links with Western countries across multiple sectors. Moscow has previously suspended participation in various European security arrangements and terminated cooperation agreements in areas ranging from science to civil aviation.

On December 13, the cabinet approved negotiations between Roscosmos and NASA regarding an agreement on cross-flights to the International Space Station. This proposal was coordinated with Russia's Foreign Ministry and other federal agencies interested in integration with the American side for cross-flights to the space station.