Russia and U.S. top brass hold phone conversation

Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley held a phone conversation with Russia’s Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov on Monday, Joint Staff Spokesperson Col. Dave Butler said in a statement.

"Milley spoke with Chief of the Russian General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov and Pakistan Chief of Army Staff Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa by telephone today as well as with several counterparts in recent days. Topics of discussion included issues of mutual concern including the current security environment," Butler said.

Earlier, Russia’s Defense Ministry stated that the conversation was held at the U.S. initiative.

Last time, Gerasimov and Milley talked over the phone in August 2020, after an incident with the U.S. servicemen who attempted to block a Russian military patrol in Syria.