Secretary of State John Kerry spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday to urge Russia to remain “calm” after Turkey shot down one of Russia’s fighter jets, and to call on both countries to maintain a dialogue as they react.
Lavrov’s boss, Russian President Vladimir Putin, called the downing of the plane near the Syria-Turkey border a “stab in the back” Tuesday. One of the two co-pilots was killed, and a Russian soldier was also killed in a mission to rescue the two pilots.
There are concerns that the incident could escalate tensions in the Syrian civil war between the many countries now embroiled in that conflict. But Kerry sought to mitigate that possibility Wednesday.
“The secretary offered his condolences for the loss of life in yesterday’s incident with Turkey,” State said. “He also stressed the need for both sides not to allow this incident to escalate tensions between their two countries or in Syria. The secretary underscored the importance of progress toward a diplomatic solution in Syria continuing unabated.”
