WASHINGTON (AP) — The top U.S. military officer said Monday that Washington and Moscow are in delicate discussions to tamp down tensions arising from the U.S. shootdown of a Syrian fighter jet, which the Russians called a violation of a U.S.-Russian understanding on avoiding air incidents.
In an appearance at the National Press Club, Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, suggested that broader U.S. and Russian interests will enable to the two sides to avoid direct hostilities in Syria.
“The worst thing any of us could do right now is address this with hyperbole,” Dunford said.
Russia’s defense ministry said Monday that military aircraft flown by the U.S.-led coalition over Syrian government-controlled areas west of the Euphrates River will be tracked as potential targets. It also said the U.S. shootdown of a Syrian SU-22 fighter was a violation of a 2015 memorandum of understanding on prevention of aerial incidents in Syria and that Moscow had therefore suspended their cooperation with Washington under the memorandum.
Russia has fighter aircraft, air defense weapons and other military assets in Syria in support of President Bashar Assad’s government.
Moscow has said it entered the fight mainly to combat IS.
