Russian and US Defense Ministers hold phone talks

Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov and his US counterpart Lloyd Austin discussed the Ukraine issue in a phone call initiated by Washington on June 25.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. Photo: New York Times

According to the Russian Defense Ministry , the two sides exchanged views on the situation around Ukraine. Minister Belousov stressed the risk of further escalation due to the US continuing to supply weapons to the Ukrainian armed forces. The two sides also discussed other issues. Meanwhile, the Pentagon said Secretary Austin and his Russian counterpart discussed the importance of open lines of communication.

The New York Times quoted Major General Patrick S. Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, as saying that Mr. Austin “stressed the importance of maintaining lines of communication amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.” The lack of communication between senior Russian military and defense officials and their American counterparts has raised concerns at the Pentagon about the risk of miscalculation.

This was the first exchange between Mr. Austin and Mr. Belousov and the first phone call between the two countries' defense ministers since March 2023, when the head of the Russian Defense Ministry was Mr. Sergei Shoigu.

The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed on June 25 that it and Ukraine had each exchanged 90 prisoners captured in the current conflict.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has also joined efforts to broker the prisoner swap, which will see Russian prisoners flown to Moscow by military transport aircraft and treated at military medical facilities, the statement said.

KHANH HUNG

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/bo-truong-quoc-phong-nga-my-dien-dam-post746324.html