Russia Formally Quits 'Open Skies'

Russian Tupolev-214 airplane displays the Open Skies markings.  

RT: Russia formally quits 'Open Skies' 

Russia has officially left a landmark strategic agreement that allowed surveillance flights over its territory. 

Moscow said the US wrecked the post-Cold War confidence boosting Treaty on Open Skies by abandoning it last year. 

Signed in 1992, it allowed countries to conduct a certain number of short-notice unarmed reconnaissance flights over each other’s territory. 

The deal was devised to bolster transparency and build confidence, after decades of mistrust.  

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Russia Formally Quits 'Open Skies'  

Closed Skies: Russia Formally Quits Post-Cold War Era Confidence-building Treaty After US Withdrawal (Sputnik)  

Russia Officially Completes Withdrawal From Open Skies Treaty (RFE) 

Zone of Treaty on Open Skies will decline by 80% without Russia and US (TASS)  

Russia Formally Quits 'Open Skies' Treaty, Saying There's No Point Without US (Zero Hedge)

Biden Administration Says Rejoining 'Open Skies' Would Send A "Wrong Message" To Russia

An American OC-135B takes off at Kubinka air base in Russia. The aircraft was used under the Open Skies Treaty. (Artyom_Anikeev/Getty Images)

Defense News: Biden Says Rejoining 'Open Skies' Would Send "Wrong Message" To Russia  

WASHINGTON — The United States appears unlikely to rejoin the 34-nation Open Skies Treaty over its concerns about Russian noncompliance, with the Biden administration telling international partners in a recent diplomatic memo obtained by Defense News that doing so would send the “wrong message” to Russia.

The note, sent days before the U.S. Air Force confirmed plans to retire the aging aircraft used to fulfill the mutual surveillance pact, may signal the end of hopes that the U.S. will rejoin the agreement.  

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Update: Biden Says Rejoining 'Open Skies' Would Send "Wrong Message" To Russia After Bashing Trump For Exiting It (Zero Hedge)  

WNU Editor: I got the message that this treaty was dead when I read this a few days ago .... U.S. Retires Planes Used to Monitor Russia Under ‘Open Skies’ Treat (WSJ). This was also another indication that the treaty was dead .... Russia Looks To Repurpose Surveillance Jets After Open Skies Treaty Exit (Warzone/The Drive). 

The Biden administrations to not rejoin the "Open Skies" treaty is the opposite of what was being said last year (see below).

Statement by Vice President Joe Biden on President Trump’s Decision to Withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty https://t.co/25Ao0PZnrL

— K.Street1111 SOS America (@kstreet111) May 23, 2020