Darkened Skies: The U.S. Might Withdraw from the Treaty on Open Skies

... crisis exacerbated in late 2017 when Georgia’s position prevented active quotas from being adopted for the following years, so no observation flights were conducted in 2018. In a spirit of goodwill and driven by its desire to preserve the Treaty on Open Skies, in 2018 Russia said it would permit observation flights close to the border with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, provided that Georgia upheld its obligations. This move allowed for keeping the Treaty and approving the 2019 quotas, so observation flights resumed. ...