Preserve arms control agreements that maintain a favorable balance of power

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 21, 2020
Contact: press@defensepriorities.org

WASHINGTON, DC—This morning, the New York Times reported that the U.S. intends to withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty, a post-Cold War multilateral military transparency agreement. Defense Priorities Policy Director Benjamin H. Friedman issued the following statement in response:

“The Open Skies Treaty is not particularly important to U.S. security, but it does build trust worth preserving. Along with the U.S. exit from other major arms control treaties, this move reveals a disconcerting pattern of pointless hostility to treaties which will make future accords more difficult to negotiate.

“The withdrawal from Open Skies is more problematic because it comes shortly after the U.S. exit from the INF Treaty—and the New START Treaty extension window expires in February next year. Together, these acts are likely to accelerate an expanded great power competition with Russia, at least in the realm of nuclear forces, at considerable cost to U.S. taxpayers.

“U.S. relations with Russia and China are both at historic low points, which imposes needless cost and risk on Americans. Leaving the Open Skies Treaty makes things a bit worse. It is in the U.S. interest to extend New START and pursue follow-on agreements that preserve a favorable balance of power.”