Austin Speaks to New Russian Counterpart for First Time
- Call is first between US, Russian defense ministers since 2023
- Belousov appointed as part of Kremlin shakeup in May
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US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his new Russian counterpart for the first time, in a rare direct communication between the adversaries since Russia invaded Ukraine more than two years ago.
Austin “emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication amid Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine” in his conversation with Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, Pentagon spokesman Major General Pat Ryder said in a briefing Tuesday.