A rare phone call between the Russian and American defense ministers
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke by phone with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu Thursday, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby announced, while tensions remained at the Russian-Ukrainian border.
"They discussed the issue of reducing dangers at Ukraine's borders," Kirby said in a brief statement.
Europeans, Americans and Kiev have accused the Russians for weeks of massing tens of thousands of soldiers at the Ukrainian border with the aim of a possible invasion.
The West has repeatedly threatened to impose "enormous" and unprecedented sanctions if the Kremlin does so.
For its part, Russia denies the threat to Ukraine and stresses that it must protect itself from the hostility of Westerners who support Kiev, especially in its struggle with pro-Russian separatists.
It is scheduled to begin US-Russian talks on Monday in Geneva, followed by a meeting between NATO and Russia and another meeting in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
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