U.S., Russian defense chiefs speak amid Ukraine war -Pentagon

U.S., Russian defense chiefs speak amid Ukraine war -Pentagon
Meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group during a NATO defence ministers meeting at the Alliance's headquarters in Brussels

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke on Friday with his Russian counterpart, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, and emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication amid the war in Ukraine, according to a statement from the Pentagon.

(Reporting by Katharine Jackson and Doina Chiacu; Editing by Chris Gallagher)

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