WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Jim Inhofe (R-Oklahoma), ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and U.S. Reps. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin regarding reports that the Biden Administration is in discussions with the Russian Federation to secure access to regional military installations in Central Asian countries.

“We are deeply troubled to learn from press reports that your administration is in discussions with the Russian Federation to secure access to Russian military installations in Central Asian countries and potentially engage in some form of military cooperation on counterterrorism with the Russians,” the letter stated. “Inviting Russia into discussions will not further vital U.S. counterterrorism goals, nor is it the path to the ‘stable and predictable’ relationship with Russia the Biden Administration claims it wants.

“Any attempt to coordinate military basing access or operations with the Russian Federation risks violating the legal prohibition on U.S.-Russian military cooperation.

“As the United States and our NATO Allies have repeatedly asserted since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2014, until Russia demonstrates compliance with international law and its international obligations and responsibilities, there can be no return to ‘business as usual.'”