Top US military officer holds talks with Russian counterpart

By LOLITA C. BALDOR
Associated Press

HELSINKI, Finland (AP) — The top U.S. military officer is holding talks with his Russian counterpart in Finland. The meeting between Gen. Mark Milley and Gen Valery Gerasimov comes as the United States is struggling to secure basing rights and other counterterrorism support in countries bordering Afghanistan. That’s an effort Moscow has opposed. The generals’ meeting is taking place at a crucial time after the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan. Without troops on the ground, the U.S. needs to forge more basing, intelligence sharing and other agreements to help monitor al-Qaida and Islamic State militants in Afghanistan.