Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Tom Cotton (R-AR) introduced a resolution on Wednesday calling for the US to withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty with Russia, which allows Russia and the United States to fly observation flights over each others’ territory.
The resolution called for withdrawal on the grounds that the treaty allows Russia to survey “major American cities and infrastructure, including Washington D.C. and New York City.” Additionally, “United States Government has developed and deployed technology so that it does not gain significant additional intelligence from participating in the Open Skies Treaty.”
This comes days after the Wall Street Journal reported that President Trump signed a document indicating his intention to withdraw from the treaty.
The Open Skies Treaty was drafted “to contribute to the further development and strengthening of peace, stability and co-operative security in that area by the creation of an Open Skies regime for aerial observation.”