Top US general: Meeting with Russian counterpart ‘productive’

Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said his meeting with his Russian counterpart was “productive” as the U.S. and its allies look into strategies for fighting terrorism following the U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Milley met with Gen. Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian General Staff, on Wednesday for six hours in Helsinki.

Milley after his conversation said the meeting was “productive,” adding, “When military leaders of great powers communicate, the world is a safer place,” according to The Associated Press.

According to a readout of the meeting from Joint Staff spokesperson Col. David Butler, the gathering was “a continuation of talks aimed at improving military leadership communication between the two nations for the purposes of risk reduction and operational de-confliction.”

Butler said that in line with past practice, both officials agreed to have the details of their conversation remain private.

The conversation between the two generals comes after the U.S. completed its troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. Milley, who has been traveling through Europe this week, has been focusing on terrorism and reflecting on violent extremism in the region, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Since its withdrawal from Afghanistan, the U.S. has said it will respond to the possible existence of militant groups in the region through “over the horizon” capabilities, which refers to drones or manned aircraft that fly hundreds of miles from bases in the Gulf region, the Journal noted.

That strategy, however, deprives the U.S. military of on-the-ground coverage of Afghanistan.

President Biden, upon announcing his decision to pull troops in April, had said he sought to create a presence in Central Asia, potentially in Uzbekistan, to help with counterterrorism operations.

The Russian government, however, has been opposed to that plan, according to the Journal, with Russian President Vladimir Putin rejecting Biden’s plea for a base.

Milley had said the basing situation was an essential topic for his trip in Europe, according to the AP. He had said he spoke about it with his NATO counterparts when they met in Greece this weekend.