US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin had a telephone conversation with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Friday.

The US Secretary of State called for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and stressed the importance of maintaining the lines of communication, as announced by the Pentagon.

It was the first time Austin had spoken to Soigu since Feb. 18, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.

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Communications between the US and Russia have been rare since the start of the war, much more so among high-ranking officials.

This week, the US Secretary of State stressed that Russia has no intention of confronting NATO militarily.