After Russia announced its withdrawal from the Open Skies Treaty earlier today, Deputy NATO Spokesperson Piers Kazalet stated that NATO allies are committed to dialogue with Russia regarding arms reduction.
Kazalet emphasized the necessity of maintaining commitments to arms control, disarmament, and non-proliferation for the security of NATO allies, and that allies will continue to consult closely on arms reduction in the future. The Russian Foreign Ministry announced its withdrawal from the treaty, considering that the U.S. withdrawal disrupted the balance of interests among participating countries.
The Open Skies Treaty was signed in 1992 and became one of the confidence-building measures in Europe after the Cold War, allowing member states to gather information on each other's military forces and activities. However, U.S. President Donald Trump announced America's withdrawal from it last May, citing "repeated Russian violations and the use of the treaty as a tool for military pressure," while Russia has repeatedly denied U.S. claims of treaty violations.
