Russian Foreign Ministry on potential U.S. exit from Open Skies

Russia will not pull out of the Treaty on Open Skies, if U.S.takes such a step, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said.

He said that despite Washington’s threats to pull out of the Treaty on Open Skies, Moscow is not sure that the U.S. really plans to do it, Izvestia reported. 

According to Ryabkov, the treaty is very important for all parties and if the Americans withdraw, Russia will have to seriously work on a response because tit-for-tat measures are unacceptable in this case.

The Wall Street Journal reported on October 27 that U.S. President Donald Trump had signed a document that allegedly specified the Washington administration’s plans to pull out of the Treaty on Open Skies. The newspaper’s sources said however that it was not a final decision and consultations were still underway.