Speaking in Stuttgart, Germany, on Monday, Dunford said he hoped to eventually meet with his Russian counterpart, Gen. Valery Gerasimov. „When you are in a period of difficulty, having a military-to-military, professional relationship … can, one, help you better understand what you are dealing with, and, two, mitigate the risk of miscalculation,“ Dunford said.

Dunford is chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and serves as the top military adviser for the president and defense secretary.