U.S. not rejoining Open Skies Treaty

Russia criticizes move, but also likely to quit pact

The United States has informed Russia that it will not rejoin a key arms-control pact that allows unarmed surveillance flights over member countries — even as the two countries prepare for a summit between their leaders.

Reconnaissance missions without arms are permitted over each other's territory under the 1992 Open Skies Treaty, introduced to reduce the danger of conflict between western countries and the post-soviet Russian state by increasing transparency.

More than 1,500 flights took place between 2002 and 2019, with each mission scanning for military activity on the ground, including artillery, fighter aircraft and troop movements. Around 30 countries are members.

Citing Russian “violations,” the U.S. State Department said the pact had been undermined and concluded that the country had failed to return to compliance. “Russia's behaviour, including its recent actions with respect to Ukraine, is not that of a partner committed to confidence-building,” a spokesman said.

The allegations have been denied by Russia, but they too are expected to depart from the treaty later this year.

Russia called the U.S. decision a political mistake just weeks before a summit between leader Vladimir Putin and President Joe Biden.

“It certainly does not make us happy, it is disappointing because the U.S. has missed another chance … to make a positive contribution to the task of strengthening security in Europe,” Sergei Ryabkov, Russia's deputy foreign minister, was quoted as saying by local media. “The U.S. has made another political mistake.”

It comes amid levels of Russia-west tensions not seen for years over issues including Ukraine, cyber malfeasance and the jailing of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny.

Just one major arms-control pact — the New Start Treaty — remains between the two nuclear powers. It limits the deployment of strategic nuclear warheads.

Former president Donald Trump withdrew from the Open Skies Treaty in November last year. The lower house of Russia's parliament voted last week to follow suit. But, up until Thursday, the two sides had said the treaty could still be salvaged. Russian officials said they were willing to reconsider their withdrawal if the U.S. did the same.

Biden and Putin will hold their first summit next month in Geneva. The Kremlin said on Wednesday it did not expect a formal reset in Russia-u.s. ties.