Russia has formally terminated three long‑standing military cooperation agreements with Portugal, France and Canada through a decree signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and published on the Russian government’s legal information portal in early December 2025. The move ends cooperation frameworks dating back to 1989–2000 and underscores Moscow’s deepening break with Western NATO allies amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Key facts and timeline
Russian state outlets and official documents confirm that the government has cancelled three bilateral military cooperation agreements with Canada, France and Portugal, all of which were signed during periods of relative rapprochement between Moscow and the West. Officials argue that these accords are no longer “strategically relevant” in the current security environment and have instructed the Foreign Ministry to notify the three NATO members through diplomatic channels.
Timeline of the terminated agreements
| Partner country | Year & place signed | Parties to the agreement | Main scope (as described) | Status after 5 Dec 2025 |
| Canada | 20 November 1989, Moscow | Government of the USSR and Government of Canada | Framework for military visits and contacts between armed forces. | Terminated by Russian government decree signed by PM Mishustin and published on the legal portal. |
| France | 4 February 1994, Moscow | Government of the Russian Federation and Government of the French Republic | Broad defense cooperation, consultations and military‑to‑military contacts. | Terminated by the same December 2025 decree. |
| Portugal | 4 August 2000, Moscow | Government of the Russian Federation and Government of the Portuguese Republic | Bilateral military cooperation, including dialogue and exchanges. | Terminated under the December 2025 order. |
The government order was posted on Russia’s official online portal of legal information on 5 December 2025 and explicitly lists all three bilateral accords for termination. NATO‑aligned media and international outlets subsequently reported the decision as an end to decades‑old defense links with three alliance members.
Russian rationale and timing
Russian authorities state that the agreements, signed between the late Cold War and early post‑Soviet years, no longer reflect Moscow’s security interests or the current geopolitical realities. Officials frame the step as part of a broader review of international commitments, echoing earlier withdrawals from other defense‑related accords, including a military‑technical cooperation agreement with Germany that was cancelled in mid‑2025 amid accusations of “hostile” policies from Berlin.
The move comes against the backdrop of Russia’s full‑scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which has led to unprecedented Western sanctions, the freezing of large Russian state assets in the European Union, and intense military and financial support for Kyiv from NATO countries, including France, Canada and Portugal. Analysts note that Moscow has repeatedly portrayed NATO expansion and Western backing for Ukraine as central grievances and now appears to be severing remaining legacy ties that once aimed to integrate Russia more closely into European security structures.
Geopolitical implications and next steps
All three affected countries are long‑standing members of the NATO alliance, and the termination of these agreements further narrows remaining channels for structured military‑to‑military dialogue between Russia and Western capitals. Commentators point out that while the pacts were largely symbolic in recent years, their cancellation underlines the extent to which post‑Cold War hopes of partnership have been replaced by open confrontation and reciprocal measures, from Western sanctions and asset freezes to Russia’s rollback of cooperation frameworks.
Under the decree, the Russian Foreign Ministry must now complete formal notifications to Ottawa, Paris and Lisbon, after which the agreements will be definitively considered void under Russian law. Diplomats and defense experts will be watching whether Moscow targets additional legacy accords with other NATO members and how Canada, France and Portugal respond—particularly in wider debates over using frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine and future European security arrangements.
