U.S. talks with Russia on Syria
Move represents a significant shift on policy as Moscow may take bigger role
WASHINGTON— The Obama administration has begun military-to-military talks with Russia concerning the Syrian war, a significant shift in U.S. policy and an acknowledgment that Moscow has become an even more important player in the conflict despite U.S. efforts to isolate the Kremlin.
Secretary of State John Kerry, on a visit to London, disclosed the talks, saying their goal would be to “define some of the different options that are available to us as we consider next steps in Syria.”
Shortly after he spoke, the Pentagon said Defense Secretary Ashton Carter had spoken by telephone with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Shoigu, their first conversation since Carter took the post seven months ago. The move comes as Russia continues its military buildup in Syria with the arrival of four Russian fighter jets at an airbase in Latakia province in the country’s northwest, the home territory of Syirna President Bashar Assad and the Alawite reli- gious minority he is a part of.
The fighter jets marked the latest escalation of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s effort to strengthen Assad, U.S. officials said.
Until now, the administration had been trying to isolate Russia because of its support for separatists in Ukraine, and it has loudly denounced the Kremlin for its continuing buildup of troops and arms in Syria. The opening of talks was a signal that administration officials recognize that the effort to isolate the Russians is not working and that the U.S. needs to re-examine core assumptions about the crisis, analysts said.
Administration officials “can’t be happy about this,” said Julianne Smith, a former top adviser to Vice-President Joe Biden. “But the reality is that conflict is so transforming Syria’s region, and beyond, that they have no choice but to try to lead. And that requires reaching out to Moscow.”
Now four years old, the Syrian civil war has become ever more threatening to the region as the conflict has sent millions of refugees far from the country’s shores.
At the same time, Russia has steadily increased its military presence in the country.
Over the past two weeks, the Russians have modified the small commercial Bassel al Assad International Airport in Latakia into a fully functional airfield, U.S. officials said. They have flown an average of two cargo supply fights a day to the airport, bringing in supplies to build an air traffic control tower, prefabricated housing units for up to 2,000 personnel as well as tanks, armoured vehicles, artillery and attack helicopters, the officials said.