Sen. Cruz Applauds United States’ Withdrawal From the Open Skies Treaty

As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I yesterday issued the following statement after the United States withdrew from the Treaty on Open Skies (OST): 

I am pleased that the Trump administration has taken the final and necessary step to formally withdraw from this costly and outdated agreement. Russia will no longer be able to use this treaty to use our skies to spy on the American people. I have been proud to lead the fight in the Senate to help deliver this blow to Putin’s espionage operations and to counter efforts that weaken our national security.

I have been a leading advocate on efforts for the U.S. to withdraw from the OST. In 2017, I advanced language to the NDAA limiting funding for the treaty. In 2019, I introduced a resolution with Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) calling for withdrawal. In March, I sent a letter with Sens. Cotton and Richard Burr (R-N.C.) calling on President Trump to withdraw. In May, I applauded the Trump Administration’s announcement that they intended to withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty and called for further action on Chinese arms control exploitation.