BERLIN, May 22. /TASS/. German Federal Minister of Defense Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer stated that Germany would continue to fulfill its obligations within the Treaty on Open Skies, despite the US’s intention to abandon it. Her statement was published in the ministry's twitter account Friday.
"I deeply regret the US’s announcement on abandonment of the Treaty. All sides must take efforts to preserve this important agreement and prevent the US’s withdrawal. We will continue to adhere to the Treaty," the Minister said.
Yesterday, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas also expressed his regret about the US’s withdrawal announcement, adding that Germany would work to make the US government review its decision.
On Thursday, US President Donald Trump announced Washington’s intention to withdraw from the Treaty on Open Skies, which allows the signatories to conduct surveillance flights over each other’s territory to observe military activity. The US cited alleged violations by Russia as a reason for the withdrawal; Moscow denies all allegations, voicing its own accusations.
According to Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Russia has a number of its own complaints against the US on the Treaty, which Moscow has reiterated before.