MOSCOW, July 25 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Russia has to suspend compliance with the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty because it does not conform with modern realities.

    "I shouldn't remind the audience that the treaty was initially signed due to the existence of the two blocs, NATO and the Warsaw Pact," Itar-Tass reported, quoting Putin as saying in a meeting with senior Russian officials.

    "The situation (has) changed cardinally" and now "all run counter to modern realities," the president said, referring to the entries to NATO of Eastern European countries.

    Amid rows with Washington on the deployment of a U.S. missile defense system in Eastern Europe, Putin signed a decree suspending Russia's participation in the treaty on July 14. The suspension will take place 150 days after Russia officially notifies all the countries concerned of its intention.

    The CFE treaty is aimed at maintaining a military balance in Europe by setting limits on key categories of conventional military equipment for NATO countries and those of their then rival Warsaw Pact.

    It was signed in 1990 and was amended in 1999 to reflect changes created by the disintegration of the Soviet Union.

    Russia has ratified the amended version, which added the requirement that Moscow pull troops out of Moldova and Georgia, but NATO countries have refused to commit to the revised treaty until the withdrawal is complete.

    Russia has threatened several times to withdraw from the CFE to counter U.S. plans to install a missile defense shield in Eastern Europe.