US General David Berger, commandant of the Marine Corps, said on Tuesday the danger is high when escalations like this occur, even if they later prove to be accidental.
“Probably my biggest worry both there and in the Pacific is an aggressive Russia or China pilot or vessel captain, or something gets too close, doesn’t realize where they are, and causes a collision,” he said when asked to comment on the latest incident.
“In other words, either intentionally or unintentionally things bumping into each other causing a collision and two great nations, powerful nations, trying to sort it out at two in the morning,” he continued, laying out the dangerous scenario.
The general added that normal channels of communication between the US and China militaries are “suspended right now” because China won’t speak to the US.
Russia’s ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, was cited by Russian media following his meeting with US officials.
He said that Russia views America’s handling of the drone incident as a “provocation”, according to the state-owned RIA-Novosti news agency.
Antonov said that both the US and Russia need to be “extremely cautious” moving forward, and that Russia is not looking for a conflict with the US, the news agency reported.
Washington said that the fighter jet downed the US drone over the Black Sea, a claim Russia has denied.
(BBC)
