Moscow: Russian Minister of Defence Andrei Belousov and his US counterpart Lloyd Austin spoke by phone on Tuesday to discuss the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Moscow’s defence ministry confirmed.
“The Ministers exchanged views on the situation around Ukraine,” stated the ministry, noting the conversation was initiated by the American side.
“Andrei Belousov pointed to the danger of further escalation of the situation in connection with the ongoing supply of US weapons to the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” the statement continued. “Other issues were also discussed.”
The Pentagon also acknowledged the phone call, emphasizing in a statement that Austin stressed “the importance of maintaining lines of communication amid Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine”. It highlighted that this was Austin’s first call with Belousov since his appointment in May.
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Russia has strongly criticized the United States for its continuous military support to Ukraine. Recently, Washington authorized Kyiv to use long-range US weapons near the embattled city of Kharkiv, prompting backlash from Moscow.
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On Monday, the Kremlin issued a warning to the United States regarding “consequences” and summoned its ambassador after alleging that a Ukrainian missile strike with a US weapon on Crimea resulted in four deaths.
