Pentagon chief speaks over phone with Russian Defense Minister

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov held phone talks on June 25, Pentagon Spokesman Patrick Ryder said, noting that the sides discussed the situation in Ukraine.

"During the call, the Secretary emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication," the statement reads.

The call was initiated by the U.S. side. The last time Secretary Austin spoke to his Russian counterpart, then Russian Minister of Defense Sergey Shoigu, was in March, 2023.