Ukraine war: US and Russian defence ministers discuss Ukraine in rare talks - BBC

The US and Russian defence secretaries person spoken successful a telephone call, successful a uncommon infinitesimal of high-level interaction betwixt the 2 countries since Russia's penetration of Ukraine.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu spoke connected Friday, the 2 countries confirmed.

Both sides said the concern successful Ukraine was discussed.

It is the archetypal clip they person spoken since a telephone connected 13 May.

After Friday's call, Pentagon property caput Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told the BBC that the US was "eager to support lines of connection open".

"It has been since May since the 2 gentlemen spoke, truthful Secretary Austin took contiguous arsenic an accidental to link with Minister Shoigu," helium said.

Russia's defence ministry said that "current questions of planetary information were discussed, including the concern successful Ukraine".

After their erstwhile speech successful May, Mr Austin urged his counterpart to telephone an contiguous ceasefire - a petition that was not mentioned this time.

It comes aft hints from Russian President Vladimir Putin that helium whitethorn beryllium consenting to usage atomic weapons successful Ukraine, and warnings against this from US President Joe Biden.

Officials successful some the US and the UK accidental they judge the chances of Mr Putin carrying retired these veiled threats are low.

Asked if the telephone had been scheduled arsenic a effect to this issue, Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said that portion Putin's hints had been "irresponsible and concerning", the US has seen "no denotation astatine this time" that Russia has decided to usage atomic weapons.

Already frosty relations betwixt the US and Russia soured adjacent further since the penetration of Ukraine.

The leaders of some countries had a gathering successful mid-2021, which was heralded arsenic a affirmative measurement towards a amended relationship. But this advancement stalled arsenic tensions escalated implicit Ukraine.

Mr Putin and Mr Biden held respective calls successful the months earlier the war, successful which the US president warned his Russian counterpart to basal down.

There person been nary talks betwixt the leaders since the invasion.

Both men are acceptable to be the G20 acme successful Indonesia adjacent month, but person indicated that they volition debar a meeting.

The US responded to the warfare with a bundle of sanctions connected Russia, successful summation to important subject assistance to Ukraine.

Earlier this week Mr Biden accused Mr Putin of trying to intimidate Ukrainians into surrendering, aft Russia declared martial instrumentality successful 4 recently-annexed regions of Ukraine.

The Russian president is present successful an "incredibly hard position", helium said, and the "only instrumentality disposable to him is to brutalise idiosyncratic citizens successful Ukraine".

Russia has antecedently denounced the US and the West for attempting to power the warfare by supplying weapons and different assistance to Ukraine.

In 1 of his astir anti-American speeches truthful far, Mr Putin accused the West of being "colonial" past month, erstwhile marking the annexation of 4 Ukrainian regions.