The State Duma, lower house of the Russian Parliament, unanimously approved President Vladimir Putin’s Bill to impose moratorium on the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty on Wednesday. The Bill passed in a 418-0 vote, will come into force on December 12-13, or 150 days after Russia notifies signatories to the Treaty.

Putin had signed a decree last July to suspend the CFE Treaty, citing security concerns, in view of the US plans to deploy elements of missile shield in Europe. The Treaty had been signed in 1990. An amended version of the Soviet era Treaty was signed in 1999, but has not been ratified by any of the NATO countries. The Treaty limits the number of tanks, aircraft and other conventional weapons in Europe.

Russia views the original CFE Treaty as outdated since it does not reflect the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact, the disintegration of the Soviet Union and NATO expansion close to the Russian borders.

NATO countries have been insisting on Russia’s withdrawal from Transdnestr and other breakaway post-Soviet regions as a condition for their ratification of the CFE Treaty. The moratorium does not stipulate that Russia will permanently pull out of the CFE Treaty, although it temporarily “freezes” its implementation by Russia.

Now the Bill will go to the Federation Council, the upper house, where it is expected a smooth sail. Following the approval by the upper house, it will go to Putin for his signature.

In a separate development, Russian Defence Ministry threatened to reinforce its troops near its Western borders. “We are carrying out work regarding this issue,” First Deputy Defence Minister Gen Alexander Kolmakov said, adding no final decision had yet been made.