NATO prepares to discuss U.S. withdrawal from Open Skies Treaty

NATO's North Atlantic Council intends to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the situation following the U.S. announcement to withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty, CNN reported on May 21. The meeting is scheduled for May 22. The North Atlantic Council includes permanent representatives of NATO military bloc member states. According to the news agency, on May 21, US President Donald Trump announced that he had decided to withdraw from the open skies agreement. According to preliminary data, the US will leave the treaty in six months. Recall, The Treaty on Open Skies was signed on March 24, 1992 in Helsinki by representatives of 23 member states of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Russia acceded to the treaty in May 2001. The States parties to the Treaty on the Open Skies have the right to fly foreign territories, monitoring the implementation of treaties on military activities and the placement of weapons. To date, 34 States are parties to the treaty.