President Donald Trump said Thursday that Russian violations make it untenable for the U.S. to stay in a treaty that permits 30-plus nations to conduct observation flights over each other’s territory, but he hinted it’s possible the U.S. will reconsider the decision to withdraw.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Thursday that Russian violations make it untenable for the U. S. to stay in a treaty that permits 30-plus nations to conduct observation flights over each other’s territory, but he hinted it’s possible the U. S. will reconsider the decision to withdraw.
Trump’s announcement comes as the U. S. begins new nuclear arms control talks with the Kremlin aimed at replacing an expiring weapons treaty with a modern and potentially three-way accord that brings China into the fold. Senior administration officials say Trump’s willingness to leave the Open Skies Treaty is evidence of how prominently arms control verification and compliance will feature in the new talks.
The Open Skies Treaty that governs the unarmed overflights was initially set up to promote trust and avert conflict between the U. S. and Russia. The Trump administration informed other members of the treaty that the U. S. plans to pull out in six months — which is after the presidential election — because Russia is violating the pact.
