Russia will pull out of a longstanding accord that allows countries to conduct fly-over military operations across territories, following in the United States' footsteps after President Trump left the treaty last year, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced Friday.
Why it matters: Russia's exit from the Open Skies Treaty could escalate its rivalry with the U.S. as the country transitions to a new administration under President-elect Joe Biden.
Our thought bubble, via Axios' Dave Lawler: Trump pulled out of several multilateral deals on arms control and related security issues, arguing they no longer served America’s interests.
The big picture: Russian hackers' massive cybersecurity campaign, which breached U.S. government agencies and companies last year, ignited tensions between Russia and Biden, who has said the nation will pay a price for the hack.
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