Moscow. May 28. INTERFAX-Moscow holds Washington fully responsible for the collapse of the Open Skies Treaty, the Russian Foreign Ministry says.
"On May 27, the US State Department notified the Russian Foreign Ministry that Washington decided not to return to the Open Skies Treaty (DON). The American side, like a year ago, tried to justify its destructive decision with far-fetched, politicized accusations against Russia that have nothing to do with reality," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued on Friday in connection with the US decision not to return to the Open Skies Treaty.
"This step by Washington has once again demonstrated disregard not only for European security, but also for the interests of its own allies, who asked to reconsider the decision taken by the administration of Donald Trump," Smolenskaya Square stressed.
"We are convinced that the United States has made another grave political mistake. They missed the chance to make a positive contribution to the task of strengthening Europe's security on a reasonable basis. Ultimately, their own security will not be strengthened, " the document says.
"The full responsibility for the collapse of the DON lies with the United States," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
The Ministry recalled that " Russia has been doing everything possible for a long time to preserve the DON."
"We have been patient and have given the US administration the opportunity to reconsider an earlier myopic decision. However, this did not happen. The refusal of the United States to return to the DON confirms the full validity of the decision taken by the President of the Russian Federation to launch internal procedures for our country's withdrawal from the Treaty," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
