Share:Top US and Russian defense officials talked via telephone on Wednesday to reduce the potential for an accidental conflict. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke with Russian Minister of Defense Sergey Shoygu to "support transparency and risk-reduction efforts" of a potential war, according to Pentagon spokesman John Kirby. Kirby did not release any more details of the call but it follows the July 28 resumption of the US-Russia Strategic Dialogue in Geneva. The world's two largest nuclear powers have been deadlocked for more than a decade on a new arms control agreement. The current New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or New START, has been in place since 2010.

Source: The Nation August 11, 2021 18:22 UTC