On June 25, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke by phone with Russian Minister of Defense Andrey Belousov. This was Secretary Austin's first phone call with Minister Belousov, and he emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication amid Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine.
Attributed to Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder: "On June 25, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke by phone with Russian Minister of Defense Andrey Belousov. This was Secretary Austin's first phone call with Minister Belousov, and he emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication amid Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine."
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