High-Stakes Dialogue: Russian and U.S. Defense Chiefs Discuss De-escalation

Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin held a phone conversation on Moscow's initiative. They addressed preventing security threats and reducing potential escalation risks.

Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov engaged in a telephone conversation with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Friday. The call was initiated by Moscow, according to a statement by the Russian ministry.

The discussion centered around the prevention of security threats and reducing the risk of possible escalation, as confirmed by the ministry.

This dialogue comes amidst heightened tensions and underscores the critical importance of communication between the two nations.

(With inputs from agencies.)