Moscow, 13 July 2024 (dpa/MIA) - US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin spoke by phone with Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov on Friday.

The Russian Defence Ministry said the telephone call was "initiated by the Russian side."

"They touched upon the issue of preventing security threats and reducing the risk of potential escalation," it continued.

In Washington, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina
Singh said the "secretary emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication amid Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine."

The two had most recently spoke in June.

Neither side provided details about the latest conversation.

Earlier this week, Germany and the US announced an agreement to station long-range US missiles on Germany territory beginning in 2026, the first time such weapons have been stationed in Germany since the end of the Cold War.

The US weapons are to include Tomahawk cruise missiles with a range of up to 2,500 kilometres capable of striking deep into Russia, as well as SM-6 air defence missiles and newly developed hypersonic weapons.

Russian officials have reacted harshly to the announcement, accusing Germany and the United States of driving up tensions and pushing toward an arms race.