Earlier, the U.S. side claimed that Russia allegedly violated the Treaty on Open Skies.
The U.S. decision to withdraw from the Treaty on Open Skies is yet another example of how the Trump administration has systematically destroyed arms control agreements. CNN reported Thursday that the opinion was expressed by the director of the non-governmental Nuclear Crisis Group, John Wolfstall.
The Treaty on Open Skies, he noted, “is one of the instruments designed to ensure stability and predictability in Europe”.
“Trump and his advisers have systematically destroyed these agreements, citing Russia’s non-compliance with them in particular, – ” he continued. – “But if you look at Trump’s approach to these problems, it is to destroy everything completely and not to create anything in return, and sometimes it is difficult to create anything in return.”
“All of this is the result of disregard for proven mechanisms that ensured the interests of both the U.S. and its allies”, – he added, recalling that information obtained during each of the flights under the Treaty on Open Skies is provided to all parties to the agreement.
“In all cases, when Russia flew over our territory, we received this information”, – the expert explained.
On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced Washington’s intention to withdraw from the DON, allowing participants to fly over any territory of each other to observe military activities. In a written statement, U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo explained that the decision to withdraw the United States from the Treaty on Open Skies will come into force six months from May 22. The U.S. side cited Russia’s alleged violations of the treaty as the reason, while Moscow denies the allegations and makes counter accusations. For example, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stressed that Russia has a number of its own claims against the U.S. under the Treaty on Open Skies, which have been previously voiced. Vladimir Yermakov, Director of the Foreign Ministry’s Department on Non-Proliferation and Arms Control, stressed that Washington’s attempts to present the withdrawal from the agreement as a reaction to Russia’s violations are absolutely groundless.