According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Moscow refuses US claims concerning the treaty on ban of flights within a 10-kilometer zone along de facto border of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region.

As Lavrov stated, Russia's position on this issue is fully in line with international law, as Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region are not the treaty member states.

Russia is ready to allow the Open Skies Treaty observation flights within a 10-kilometer zone along the Caucasus border if Georgia allows Russia to fly over its territory.