Pentagon officials met with their Russian counterparts via video conference Thursday to discuss the continued adherence to the agreement regarding flight safety over Syria, according to a statement by Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook. “The conversation was constructive, and the two sides reiterated the need to adhere to the memorandum of understanding to avoid accidents and misunderstandings,” according to the release. The high-level meeting was the first since a Russian fighter jet and US aircraft unwittingly passed within a half mile of each other over Syria on Oct. 17. Following the close call, there was immediate contact between the two aircraft and then follow-up on the deconfliction channel, which remains in daily use.
The Pentagon is counting on Congress to navigate a legislative tightrope and pass a party-line bill to fund nearly a quarter of its $1.5 trillion budget request for fiscal 2027, including billions of dollars for top priorities like Golden Dome, the F-35, munitions, and unmanned systems. Experts and lawmakers from…