Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Friday spoke by phone with his Russian counterpart for the second time in less than a month and one day after the NATO summit wrapped up in Washington with a focus on countering Moscow, according to the Pentagon.

During the call with Russian Minister of Defense Andrey Belousov, which was initiated by Moscow, Austin "emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication amid Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine," deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters.

Austin last spoke with Belousov on June 25, about 2.5 weeks earlier. Prior to that, the Pentagon chief had not directly spoken with his Russian counterpart since March 2023. Communications between Washington and Moscow have almost entirely broken down since Kremlin forces invaded Ukraine in February 2022.