Brussels, 6 December 2025 – Russia has ended three military cooperation agreements with Portugal, France, and Canada, signaling the conclusion of post-Cold War efforts to ease tensions and escalating conflicts with NATO countries supporting the use of Moscow’s frozen assets for Ukraine, according to Euronews and Izvestia.
The agreements, established between 1989 and 2000, once represented improved East-West relations but are now deemed by Russia as lacking “strategic relevance” due to current geopolitical tensions, Euronews reports. The decision, enacted by a decree from Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and issued on 5 December, instructs Russia’s Foreign Ministry to inform the involved governments, further distancing Moscow from Western security structures, says Izvestia.
Historical Context of the Agreements
The agreements originated in a period of hope following the Soviet Union’s fall. The 1989 USSR-Canada agreement on military visits emerged soon after the Berlin Wall fell, as Mikhail Gorbachev aimed to build bridges with the West, notes Euronews. France’s 1994 deal reflected Boris Yeltsin’s aspirations to integrate Russia into European security, including crisis consultations and a “network of peace and solidarity,” while Portugal’s 2000 agreement concluded a productive bilateral period marked by high-level exchanges, despite Lisbon’s NATO involvement, the same source details.
This termination reflects July’s annulment of a 1996 Germany agreement, where Moscow criticized Berlin’s “hostile policy” and “militaristic aspirations.” Meanwhile, Russia signed a new military agreement with India on 2 December, facilitating troop and warship movements to strengthen non-Western alliances, reports Izvestia.
Link to Frozen Russian Assets and EU Proposals
The timing coincides with EU discussions over €210 billion in immobilized Russian state assets, primarily at Belgium’s Euroclear, to fund Ukraine loans amid its war-torn economy, explains Euronews. Portugal and France support European Commission plans for a “reparations loan” potentially unlocking €90 billion ($105 billion), addressing two-thirds of Kyiv’s projected 2026-2029 financing gap, according to ABC News and The Independent. Canada, holding separate frozen funds, joins this Western push.
Russia considers these assets—totaling €290 billion in the West—as a potential “casus belli,” with Dmitry Medvedev warning of retaliation, including real reparations from “fallen foes,” reports CNBC. Euroclear highlights legal risks, fearing confiscation claims under international law, notes The Guardian.
Broader NATO-Russia Rift
Since 2014, NATO has halted practical cooperation with Russia over Ukraine, maintaining only diplomatic channels, documents the Atlantic Council. Putin’s Kremlin accuses the alliance of eastward expansion, leading to the 2022 invasion—a claim reflected in leaked US-Russia peace talks requiring Ukraine’s NATO exclusion, reports Euronews. This latest action deepens the divide, as NATO members like Secretary-General Mark Rutte secure commitments exceeding $4 billion for Ukraine’s defenses.
For European Times readers monitoring EU governance and institutional dialogue, this indicates hardening positions ahead of winter, with frozen assets tests forthcoming in Brussels. Ukraine’s dependence on Western aid continues, as Moscow shifts eastward, warns The Guardian.
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