Russia Will Not Reconsider Withdrawal From Open Skies Treaty - Deputy Foreign Minister
Russia will not reconsider its decision to withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty, as this is a closed chapter, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said in an interview with Sputnik
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th June, 2021) Russia will not reconsider its decision to withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty, as this is a closed chapter, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said in an interview with Sputnik.
Russia has been focused on preserving the deal on surveillance flights "for the entire period after Washington's announcement of withdrawal and until the president's signing of the law [on deal denunciation]", the diplomat recalled.
"Instead of acting responsibly and indicating the readiness at least not to destroy the remaining elements of the European security, the United States confirmed to us in the end of this period its firm and final decision not to return to the Open Skies Treaty.
We do not see any sense in discussing the issue with the US," Ryabkov said.
"When we saw that literally two days before the president signed the law denouncing the Open Skies Treaty, they disposed of the second Open Skies plane, then even those who still believe in fairy tales understood everything. There is no turning back, the chapter of Russia's participation in the Open Skies Treaty is closed forever," the diplomat explained.