Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin spoke by phone Tuesday with Russia's new Defense Minister, Andrei Belousov, in a rare meeting between the Biden administration and Moscow, according to the Pentagon.
It was the first phone call between the two men since Belousov, an economist, replaced Russia's longtime defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, in a Kremlin reshuffle in May.
Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Patrick S. Ryder said Austin “stressed the importance of keeping the lines of communication open as Russia's war against Ukraine continues.”
Austin led Tuesday's call, and “we think it's important to keep the lines of communication open,” General Ryder said.
A lack of communication between Russian military and defense officials and their US counterparts has raised concerns at the Pentagon about the risk of miscalculation.
