WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Earlier on Monday, a Department of Defense News report said one purpose of Dunford’s visit is to assuage concerns of Russia’s European neighbors over Moscow’s plans in the region.
Since taking office, Dunford has spoken twice with Gerasimov, the chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, according to Department of Defense News.
"I’ve spoken with him a couple of times and plan to do that routinely," the report quoted Dunford as saying during a visit to Germany on Monday. "We talk about a wide range of issues."
Dunford would like to have "a face-to-face meeting" with Gerasimov in the context of military-to-military relations, according to the report. "No matter what the relationships are between states, it’s important to keep the lines of communication open," he said.
