{"id":30945,"date":"2020-02-21T02:19:27","date_gmt":"2020-02-21T02:19:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/02\/21\/us-cant-continue-tolerating-russian-noncompliance-on-open-skies-esper-says\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T22:11:39","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:11:39","slug":"us-cant-continue-tolerating-russian-noncompliance-on-open-skies-esper-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/flashpoints\/2020\/02\/21\/us-cant-continue-tolerating-russian-noncompliance-on-open-skies-esper-says\/","title":{"rendered":"US can\u2019t continue tolerating Russian \u2018noncompliance\u2019 on Open Skies, says Esper"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. \u2014 The U.S. has yet to make a determination on whether to remain in the Open Skies arms control agreement, but Defense Secretary Mark Esper is warning that America \u201ccan\u2019t continue\u201d to tolerate Russian \u201cnoncompliance\u201d with the treaty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo far, no formal final decision has been made. In due course we will be getting together to do that, to decide the best path forward for our nation,\u201d Esper told reporters while visiting U.S. Strategic Command on Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI take no view one way or the other with regard to arms control in general. They should be in our national interests if we\u2019re going to enter an agreement or continue an agreement. The place where we begin is compliance with what\u2019s happening on those agreements.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Open Skies agreement, ratified in 2002, allows mutual reconnaissance flights<\/a> over its 34 members, including the U.S. and Russia. The two nuclear powers have quarreled over the treaty in recent years, including fights about what camera equipment<\/a> should be allowed on the planes and U.S. accusations that Russia is restricting flights over Kaliningrad.<\/p>\n\n\n\t