Donald Trump announces the withdrawal of the United States from the Open Skies Treaty

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Donald Trump announced the American withdrawal from the international military treaty "Open Skies". Negotiated in 1992 after the collapse of the Soviet Union and entered into force in 2002, the agreement allows the 34 signatory countries to fly over their respective territories to verify arms control and to detect possible military movements. The United States has accused Russia for years of regularly violating this treaty with impunity.

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The rumor had been going around for a few days already as the pressure was strong within the republican camp for the United States to withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty (in English) because of its non-compliance by Russia. The announcement of this withdrawal by Donald Trump is therefore not a surprise for insiders. But it still causes a shock wave among the signatory countries.

The ambassadors of the NATO countries  are summoned to an emergency meeting this Friday. It must be said that in the ranks of the allies, the concern is great: they fear that Russia will in turn prohibit overflying its territory. An overview, however, particularly valuable for the Baltic states, which thus monitor possible troop movements at their borders. Germany also calls on the United States to "  reconsider  " their decision.

►Also read: NATO in search of lost unity for its 70th anniversary

This new manifestation of American isolationism in any case opens another breach in the already strained transatlantic relations. Moscow does not hesitate to move the knife in the wound. In a first reaction, the Russian government accuses Washington of "scuttling the instrument which, for the past 20 years, has guaranteed peace and security in Europe". 

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• United States
• Russia
• Defense
• Donald trump