Putin orders Trump to abandon Open Skies Treaty:
@peterbakernyt
Trump has decided to withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty, negotiated three decades ago to allow nations to fly over each other’s territory with elaborate sensor equipment to assure they are not preparing for military action. @SangerNYT
Trump to Withdraw From ‘Open Skies’ Arms Control Treaty
nytimes.com
Tom Nichols
May 21, 2020
General Hayden sums up our withdrawal from Open Skies.
Gen Michael Hayden
Replying to @RadioFreeTom
This is insane. I was the director of CIA.
@MyMagnifOctopus
Putin: "Do you want to leave the Open Skies Treaty, or do I get out the paddle again?" Trump: "No, sir, I'll do it, sir."
Gretchen'sR
Unfuckingbelievable. If he were a Putin plant, what would he be doing differently?
European nations, including Ukraine, have pushed to preserve the treaty, seeing it as an integral to their national security. Some analysts say the treaty, which was designed to boost confidence that countries aren't planning an attack, was a driving factor in the Russian decision to invade Ukraine with a smaller military force that would be less noticeable from the air.
European nations say any disputes over Russian compliance should be addressed through negotiations. Trump's former national security adviser John Bolton, a longtime skeptic of arms-control agreements, and his allies within the administration have challenged Russia's claims of compliance. Before he left his post, he urged Trump to sign the document signaling the US intention to withdraw, two of the US officials said. |
