Trump administration pulls out of Open Skies treaty with Russia

Source: The Hill | November 22, 2020 | Dominick Mastrangelo

The Trump administration has officially withdrawn from the Open Skies treaty, six months after starting the process to leave.

“On May 22, 2020, the United States exercised its right pursuant to paragraph 2 of Article XV of the Treaty on Open Skies by providing notice to the Treaty Depositaries and to all States Parties of its decision to withdraw from the Treaty, effective six months from the notification date,” State Department deputy spokesman Cale Brown said in a statement.

“Six months having elapsed, the U.S. withdrawal took effect on November 22, 2020, and the United States is no longer a State Party to the Treaty on Open Skies,” Brown added.

The post-Cold War agreement was struck to allow nations to conduct flyovers of other allies in an attempt to collect military data and other intelligence on neighboring foreign enemies. 

In a statement issued on Sunday, Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) called the administration’s withdrawal “reckless” and encouraged President-elect Joe Biden’s administration to rejoin the pact once he is inaugurated.

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