{"id":69325,"date":"2018-09-24T16:42:36","date_gmt":"2018-09-24T16:42:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/09\/24\/us-says-russia-supplying-missile-defense-system-to-syria-would-be-a-significant-escalation\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T13:46:31","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T13:46:31","slug":"us-says-russia-supplying-missile-defense-system-to-syria-would-be-a-significant-escalation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/flashpoints\/2018\/09\/24\/us-says-russia-supplying-missile-defense-system-to-syria-would-be-a-significant-escalation\/","title":{"rendered":"US says Russia supplying missile defense system to Syria would be a \u2018significant escalation\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

NEW YORK \u2014 The Trump administration is warning Russia that supplying Syria with an advanced missile defense system<\/a> would be a \u201cmajor mistake\u201d and should be reconsidered. It also says U.S. forces will not leave Syria until Iran leaves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

National security adviser John Bolton said Monday that delivery of the Russian S-300 would be a “significant escalation” in already high tensions in the region and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he would raise the matter this week with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov at the U.N. General Assembly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We think introducing the S-300s to the Syrian government would be a significant escalation by the Russians and something that we hope, if these press reports are accurate, they would reconsider,” Bolton said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t