China News Service, June 19, according to the Russian Satellite Network report, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on the 18th that Russia will withdraw from the "Open Sky Treaty" on December 18, 2021, and the United States should be fully responsible for the collapse of the "Open Sky Treaty" .
Data map: Russian President Putin.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has notified the "Open Skies Treaty" signatory states about Russia's withdrawal, stating that the West's attempt to gain unilateral advantages and ignore Moscow's interests is doomed to failure.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs pointed out, “The United States is fully responsible for the collapse of the Open Skies Treaty. We know that the United States only advocates transparency in the military field when it believes it can demonstrate its advantages. When it comes to transparency in the United States, they will go backwards. , Began to create difficulties for the implementation of the agreement, completely ignoring the concerns of European security and allies, and completely ignoring the judgment of the outside world on its ability to abide by the agreement."
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, “Western colleagues should have long realized that if the security interests of Russia and its allies are not considered, the West cannot guarantee its own security. We can always find effective solutions. The best way is to proceed. Constructive cooperation to consolidate European and global security together, including relying on years of fruitful cooperation experience in the implementation of the Open Skies Treaty."
According to reports, Russia requested the "Open Skies Treaty" signatories to convene an emergency meeting as soon as possible to study the consequences of Russia's withdrawal from the treaty.
The "Open Skies Treaty" was signed in 1992 and entered into force in 2002.
According to the treaty, the states parties can conduct unarmed air reconnaissance on each other's territory to verify the other party's implementation of the international arms control treaty.
The treaty states once included Russia, the United States and most NATO countries.
In May 2020, the United States initiated the process of withdrawing from the treaty.
In November of the same year, the United States announced its formal withdrawal from the treaty.
In January 2021, Russia decided to open the domestic procedures for withdrawing from the Open Skies Treaty. The relevant draft laws were passed in the Russian State Duma and the Federal Council (the upper house of parliament) on May 19 and June 2 respectively.
On June 7, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a draft law to withdraw from the "Open Skies Treaty."