WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — US-Russia relations have deteriorated since the onset of the 2014 Ukraine crisis.
"[I]n the midst of this summer of discontent emanating from both sides, we must keep open our communications pathways, which are increasingly in danger of shutting down," Stavridis said in a column for Time Magazine, outlining a four-point plan for US-Russia relations.
Stavridis, who was recently rumored to be a cabinet pick for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, argued that although "it is in no one’s interest to stumble backwards into another full-blown Cold War… that possibility seems more likely with each passing week."
The former NATO commander advocated focusing on "zones of cooperation" where the United States and Russia have proven common interest.
Such areas include stabilizing Afghanistan, counter-terrorism, counter-narcotics, and counter-piracy efforts, and increasing the use of air, land and sea military "hot lines" to avoid accidental conflicts.
