President Obama will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in New York next week to discuss Russia’s intentions in Syria, but US officials insist the discussion will not take away from its commitment to defend Ukraine. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Thursday during a joint press conference with Ukrainian Defense Minister Colonel-General Stepan Poltorak that the US should pursue the shared interest of the destruction of ISIS, while pushing the Kremlin to simultaneously work toward a political transition in Syria. Russia has moved large amounts of fighter jets, tanks, and troops into western Syria—a move US officials have said is meant to bolster pro-Assad forces. Discussions, such as next week’s, are needed to find “if it is possible for our interests … [to] overlap,” and then the two countries can begin pursuing those steps, Carter said. Poltorak ?believes Russia’s incursion into Syria is a way to try and divert international attention away from the ongoing situation in Crimea.
Pentagon Releases Cost of Living, BAH Rates for 2026
Dec. 30, 2025
The Pentagon will pay cost of living allowances to 127,000 service members in the continental U.S. in 2026, an increase of 66,000 members in 2025. Airmen and Guardians across the U.S. will also receive an average increase of 4.2 percent for their Basic Housing Allowance, compared to the 5.4 percent…
