Washington (June 19, 2017) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement: 

“Yesterday, we learned of an engagement by U.S. fighter jets to defend U.S.-backed Syrian fighters under attack by the Assad regime. Today, Russia has said our aircraft in the area would be considered targets. The war in Syria is entering a dangerous new escalatory phase.  Since the inauguration, the Trump administration has been absent from any diplomatic efforts focused on ending the war.  I call on the President and his foreign policy team to make an immediate and urgent diplomatic initiative to negotiate a sustainable cease fire among all the parties to Syria’s civil war.  If America remains disengaged from diplomacy to end this war we will continue to drift toward military escalation that could slip beyond anyone’s control.”

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