Treaty on Open Skies facts for kids

     States that signed and ratified the treaty      States that have signed, but not ratified      States that have withdrawn from the Treaty

The Treaty on Open Skies is an agreement that started on January 1, 2002. It lets countries that are part of it fly unarmed planes over each other's land. These flights help them see what other countries' armies are doing. This helps build trust and understanding between nations.

What is the Open Skies Treaty?

The main goal of the treaty is to make countries feel safer. It does this by letting them gather information about military forces. This way, they can see for themselves what is happening. This open approach helps prevent misunderstandings and builds confidence.

How Did It Start?

The idea for this kind of agreement came from U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower. He suggested "mutual aerial observation" in 1955 to the Soviet leader, Nikolai Bulganin. This was at a big meeting in Geneva.

The treaty was finally signed much later. It was an idea brought back by U.S. President George H. W. Bush in 1989. The actual signing happened in Helsinki, Finland, on March 24, 1992.

Who Was Involved?

When it started, 34 countries were part of the treaty. These countries agreed to let other member countries fly over their land. They also agreed to share information from these flights.

However, some countries have left the treaty. The United States officially withdrew from the agreement on November 22, 2020.

Images for kids

• 

  Tupolev Tu-214ON of the Russian Air Force

• 

  A USAF Boeing OC-135B Open Skies

• 

  An-30 monitoring aircraft

See also

In Spanish: Tratado de Cielos Abiertos para niños