United States threatens treaty withdrawal

President Donald Trump said Thursday that Russia has not complied with a 1992 agreement allowing reconnaissance flights over its territory. Thirty-five nations have signed the Open Skies Treaty to encourage accountability for buildups of military strength. Trump notified member nations that the United States plans to formally exit the agreement in six months but would reconsider if Russia committed to compliance.

What did Russia do? It restricted flights over its Kaliningrad territory, an area between Poland and Lithuania, as well as over regions where it conducts major military exercises, according to the Pentagon.

Also on Thursday, the Senate confirmed Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, as the director of national intelligence. Lawmakers hope Ratcliffe’s nomination will shore up national security and intelligence gathering for the United States.

Dig deeper: From the WORLD archives, read Jill Nelson’s report on how Lithuania treads carefully because of Russia’s Baltic Fleet in Kaliningrad.