WASHINGTON (AN) — U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Thursday he plans to withdraw the United States from an international treaty that permits mutual unarmed surveillance flights over 34 nations, but he believes a new deal can be made.
In a further deterioration of U.S.-Russia relations that would also fray European ties, Trump told other signatories to the Open Skies Treaty that a U.S. exit is justified by Russia's violations of its obligations under the treaty. A decade after it was first signed, the treaty took effect in 2002 with the aim of preventing misunderstandings that could lead to war. Russian officials said the withdrawal threatens European security.
Nuclear Security & WMD — Canada — China — Europe — Georgia — Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty 1987 — New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) 2011 — North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) — Open Skies Treaty 2002 — Russia — Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) 2004 — Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) 1990 — Ukraine — Americas — Warsaw Pact 1955-1991
