ABOARD A US MILITARY AIRCRAFT (AP) — The U.S. should explore ways to expand its military contacts with the Russians, potentially to include allowing observers from each country to watch the other’s combat exercises, in a broad effort to increase transparency and reduce the risk of conflict, the top U.S. military officer said Thursday. But he said the U.S. might look into allowing the military service chiefs to form stronger relationships with their Russian counterparts — which is currently not allowed. “We might not do it, but we should at least take a look at it,” Milley said. Milley declined to detail the contents of his talks with Gerasimov, but a Joint Staff statement appeared to suggest that transparency was discussed. In response to the Ukraine invasion, Congress in 2016 severely limited military cooperation with Russia.

Source: thestar September 23, 2021 23:26 UTC