VIENNA, December 20. /TASS/. Discussions on the future of control over conventional weapons in Europe are irrelevant as long as Russophobic sentiments continue to spread in Europe, Konstantin Gavrilov, head of the Russian delegation to the Vienna Negotiations on Military Security and Arms Control, has told TASS.

"As far as the future control over conventional weapons is concerned, it, frankly speaking, is currently not visible in the dark fog of Russophobia that has blanketed Europe. US defense industry companies, and, therefore, politicians who are lobbying them, are making super profits on the current situation in Europe. The EU is becoming an economic appendage of the United States and NATO, gradually placing the sovereignty of its member countries into the hands of the US president and his inner circle," he said.

In his words, the US has been conducting the policy of scaling down a number of agreements related to conventional arms control and confidence-building measures. The United States unilaterally withdrew from the Open Skies Treaty and refrained from ratifying the modified variant of the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty. Against this backdrop, Russia suspended its participation in CFE in 2007 and withdrew from the treaty in 2023.

"The Western conglomerate’s de-facto involvement in the Ukrainian conflict and Finland’s admission to NATO became the last straw for us. In this regard, a decision was made to withdraw from the CFE," Gavrilov added.

Russia, on its part, is ready for discussions on an equal footing and for negotiations about mutually beneficial agreements including in the sphere of control over conventional forces, the Russian diplomat said.