Russia formally opts out of Open Skies Arms Control Treaty, blames US for exit

Russian President Vladimir Putin, on June 7, signed a law that formalizes his country’s exit from the Open Skies Arms Control Treaty. Signed on March 24 1992, the pact allows for unarmed surveillance over the territories of its 34 member states. Moscow has become the second country to exit the pact following a Donald Trump-led US’ exit from the treaty last year.  

Russia blames US for exit

Russia has blamed the American exit for quitting the non-nuclear arms control treaty, which it claimed to be a threat to its national security. In a statement, Kremlin declared that the US decision to withdraw from the treaty had “significantly upset the balance of interests” among the pact’s members and had compelled Russia to exit. “This caused serious damage to the treaty’s observance and its significance in building confidence and transparency, (causing) a threat to Russia’s national security,” the Kremlin said in a statement on its website.

Last month, after Biden clarified that he would not undo his predecessor’s decision, Russia labelled the US’ exit as a “political mistake.” Sergei Ryabkov, Russia's deputy foreign minister was quoted by TASS as saying that “The U.S. has made another political mistake, inflicting a new blow to the European security system...We gave them a good chance, which they did not take. They continue circulating fabrications about Russia's violations of this agreement, which is completely absurd." Separately, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov also expressed regret over the US decision and noted that without Washington and Moscow’s participation, the ‘Open Skies’ pact would lose much of its utility. Meanwhile, Biden and Putin are due to hold a summit next month.

US announced its withdrawal in May 2020

Former US President Donald Trump’s administration announced its withdrawal from the Open Skies Treaty that allows aerial surveillance over the member countries through unarmed flights in May 2020. At the time, senior American officials reportedly said that the decision to withdraw from the treaty that came into force in 2002 is based on repeated Russian violations of its terms. The withdrawal comes as another evidence of the rising friction between Russia and the US.

Image: AP