The United States will approve the certification of the new Russian Tu-214 surveillance aircraft in order to use it within the framework of the Treaty on Open Skies on September 24, a spokesperson for the US State Department told TASS.

"On September 18, the United States informed all States Parties via formal treaty mechanisms that it will approve the certification of the Russian aircraft," he noted.

The state department added that the certification would officially go through on Monday, September 24. "We plan to sign the Certification Report on the margins of a plenary meeting of the Open Skies Consultative Commission in Vienna on Monday, September 24," the spokesperson added.