Biden, Putin can save the Open Skies treaty
It is fitting that the upcoming summit meeting between President Joe Biden and Russian president Vladimir Putin takes place in Geneva, for it was there in 1955 when President Dwight Eisenhower made a daring proposal to the Russian leaders of the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
A month before Eisenhower headed to Geneva, the United States actually held a training exercise for nuclear war called Operation Alert. Hope for peace with Russia amid a nuclear arms race was desperately needed.
At Geneva on July 21, 1955, Eisenhower proposed that both U.S. and Russian planes fly over each other’s territory to reduce the chance of surprise attack. Ike said “what I propose, I assure you, would be but a beginning.”
While Eisenhower’s peace overtures provided some calm during the Cold War, Open Skies was not accepted by the Soviets at that time. But it did plant a diplomacy seed. In 1989 President George H.W. Bush revived Open Skies and it eventually became a treaty with Russia, Canada and over 30 European nations.
In the hopes that one thing leads to another, Open Skies was to open the door for cooperation with Russia and other nations. That door sadly has been shut in the last couple of years and locked with a deadbolt.
President Donald Trump, citing Russian non-compliance, withdrew the U.S. from the Open Skies Treaty in 2020. This was clearly a mistake.
Such disputes have to be resolved diplomatically, and not just by walking away from an agreement that has been largely successful for all nations. According to Thomas Countryman of the Arms Control Association, “The Open Skies Treaty has helped preserve the post-Cold War peace.”
But then Russia began its process of withdrawing from the Open Skies Treaty. Biden has also surprisingly decided not to rejoin the treaty since he took office.
Time is historically the best negotiator. Time should be allowed to resolve any disputes with Russia, real or perceived, over the Open Skies Treaty.
Instead of withdrawing from treaties and the world, we need to recapture Ike’s and Bush’s imagination for peace and expand Open Skies. First, Biden should announce the U.S. is rejoining the Open Skies Treaty and put into effect the legal remedies necessary to do this. Second, we must encourage Russia to remain in Open Skies and meet to resolve differences over the pact.
The Open Skies initiative should then be expanded to include more countries, including China. Biden should also seek to include India, Pakistan, North Korea and other nations. We can encourage cooperation and peace to prevent unnecessary arms races.
One thing that Eisenhower and Bush both held was Open Skies test flights. This would be a good start by inviting nations to observe the flights as part of their introduction to Open Skies. As Eisenhower hoped, if we build cooperation in one area we could then expand it to others. Open Skies may help unlock the door to nuclear disarmament on the Korean peninsula.
Let’s get something out of this U.S.-Russia summit and start with Open Skies for peace.