WASHINGTON. Oct 21 (Interfax) - United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a phone call with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu that it is important to maintain lines of communication between the two parties, the Pentagon said on Friday.
"On October 21, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin spoke by phone with Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu. Secretary Austin emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication amid the ongoing war against Ukraine," the U.S. Department of Defense said in a communique.
The Pentagon also said that Austin had also spoken with Ukrainian Defense Minister Alexei Reznikov by phone.
The Russian Defense Ministry earlier said that the situation in Ukraine had been discussed in the phone conversation between Shoigu and Austin on Friday.
On May 19, the Russian Defense Ministry said that Chief of the Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov and Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley had spoken by phone.
On May 13, the Russian Defense Ministry said that the Russian defense minister and the Pentagon chief had spoken by phone.