US OC-135B Open Skies surveillance plane, pictured at RAF Mildenhall in February 2010 © Flickr/Airwolfhound
NBC: U.S. tells Russia it won't rejoin arms control pact that was 'undermined by Russian violations'
WASHINGTON — The United States has told Russia it will not rejoin an arms control agreement that allows member countries to conduct surveillance flights over each others' territory, accusing Moscow of violating the accord.
The decision not to re-enter the Open Skies Treaty came only weeks before a planned summit between President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva.
The U.S. move leaves only one major arms control agreement in place between the two nuclear-armed powers, the New START treaty. Biden has agreed to extend that accord another five years.
Read more ....
Update #1: US tells Russia it won’t rejoin Open Skies arms control pact (Military Times/AP)
Update #2: Biden administration won't seek to rejoin Open Skies Treaty after 2020 exit (CNN)
WNU Editor: The Kremlin has responded .... Russian foreign ministry puts responsibility for collapse of Open Skies Treaty on US (TASS).
Update #3: Yup. This treaty is not going to be brought up .... Putin, Biden unlikely to discuss Treaty on Open Skies, says senior Russian diplomat (TASS).
