WASHINGTON, October 21. /TASS/. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in a telephone conversation with Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu emphasized the importance of maintaining open channels of communication in the context of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine.

"On October 21, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke by phone with Russian Minister of Defense Sergey Shoigu. Secretary Austin emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication amid the ongoing war against Ukraine," the Pentagon’s spokesman Patrick Ryder stated in a written statement on Friday.

Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry said that Shoigu had discussed with Austin current issues of international security, including the situation in Ukraine. Last time Shoigu and Austin held talks on May 13. The situation in Ukraine was also discussed during that telephone conversation.

On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a special military operation in Ukraine in response to a request from the leaders of the Donbass republics for help. The West then imposed large-scale sanctions on Russia. The Western states have increased arms supplies to Kiev to billions of dollars.