Putin signs law exiting the pact

President Vladimir Putin yesterday signed legislation formalising Russia's withdrawal from the Open Skies security treaty after Washington quit the key post-Cold War defence accord last year.

Moscow announced in mid-January it was leaving the treaty that allows signatories to carry out unarmed surveillance flights over each others' territories. It cited a "lack of progress" on maintaining the treaty after the United States withdrew last year.

The document formalising Russia's decision was published on a government website yesterday morning.

The decision by the Russian leader comes ahead of a highly anticipated summit between Putin and US President Joe Biden in Geneva next week.

Biden intially signalled his administration could reverse his predecessor's move to quit the accord, but then confirmed late last month Washington would not revisit the decision.