the U.S. Embassy sent an official note to the Russian foreign Ministry about the decision to start the procedure of withdrawal from the Treaty on open skies, or DON, said Deputy Minister of foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Ryabkov.
the Diplomat noted that the US withdrawal from the Treaty on open skies reminiscent of a rupture of the agreement on intermediate-range and shorter-range. 2 Aug 2019 Washington also unilaterally left the INF Treaty, which was another step in dismantling the architecture of international security. No evidence that Russia violates the agreement, the United States again did not provide.
Russia’s Permanent representative at the UN office in Geneva, Gennady Gatilov, in turn, believes that the US withdrawal from DON — this is the line of the administration trump the collapse of the system of agreements on arms control. About it the diplomat wrote in his Twitter microblog.
#DON have this one contract in the field of international security, promote transparency and create an atmosphere of trust between States could become a victim of the line of the administration of D. trump on the collapse of the system of agreements on arms control. A contract will be next?
— Gennady Gatilov (@GGatilov) May 22, 2020
Recall, may 21, the media reported the U.S. desire to withdraw from the Treaty on open skies. According to Washington, the blame again Russia, which allegedly did not comply with the provisions of the DON. In the United States Embassy in Russia confirmed the information and noted that the United States has alerted the country depositaries (Canada and Hungary) on its decision, as required by the contract. However, Americans are willing to reconsider. But only on the condition that Russia will return to compliance with the agreement, said the Embassy.
meanwhile, China, France, Finland, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Czech Republic and Luxembourg expressed regret in connection with the U.S. withdrawal from the Treaty. Germany urged to do everything possible to save the don, and the Kingdom announced that it intends to terminate the agreement writes the Agency “Interfax” with reference to the Embassy in Moscow.
international public organization for nuclear arms control Global Zero has called the decision by the United States hasty. It significantly increases the risk of a military conflict that could spill over into nuclear war.
the Treaty on open skies entered into force in 2002. It was ratified by 34 States. According to this document, the participating countries can fly over each other’s territories to gather information on the armed forces.