Austin Speaks to New Russian Counterpart for First Time (1)

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.

Ryder said it was the first time Austin had spoken with Russia’s top defense official since March 2023, when Sergei Shoigu held the job.

Direct communications between the US and Russia have almost ...