The US has told Russia it will not rejoin an arms control deal that permits unarmed aerial flights over dozens of participating countries.
The state department said the Open Skies Treaty “has been undermined by Russia’s violations” and its failure to return to compliance.
Russia denies the allegations, and the country is also expected to withdraw from the treaty this year.
The accord allows short-notice flights to monitor military activity.
More than 30 nations participate in the treaty which came into force in 2002.
A mechanism to assure against surprise attack
“The United States regrets that the Treaty on Open Skies has been undermined by Russia’s violations,” the state department said on Thursday.
“In concluding its review of the treaty, the United States therefore does not intend to seek to rejoin it, given Russia’s failure to take any actions to return to compliance.
Under Donald Trump’s presidency Washington withdrew from the treaty. As a presidential candidate, Joe Biden called the move short-sighted.
