The chiefs of the Russian and U.S. armed forces held a rare phone call last week amid rising tensions in Ukraine, according to officials from both sides.
Direct communication between Moscow and Washington has become increasingly rare since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with the Kremlin now considering the U.S. a direct participant in the conflict. The call, which took place on November 27, was initiated by Russia and involved Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov and U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Charles Brown.
Both sides confirmed the call, with Brown’s spokesman stating that the two leaders discussed a range of global and regional security issues, including the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
This marked the first conversation between Gerasimov and Brown since the latter took over his position in October 2023.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said that Gerasimov briefed Brown on military exercises being conducted by Russia in the eastern Mediterranean. The drills are part of Russia’s efforts to support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in suppressing an Islamist-led rebellion. The Russian defense ministry emphasized that the information was shared to prevent potential incidents, particularly in light of the presence of U.S. and NATO ships near the area.
While the Russian statement did not specifically mention Ukraine or other topics, a U.S. military spokesperson told the New York Times that the two leaders also discussed Russia’s newly developed Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile.
Additionally, according to CNN, General Brown raised U.S. concerns over the deployment of North Korean troops to assist Russian forces in Ukraine.
Tensions between Russia and the U.S. have escalated significantly since the onset of the war in Ukraine, with the Biden administration providing Ukraine with advanced weaponry, including ATACMS missiles, which Kyiv has used to strike Russian territory. In retaliation, Russia has increased its nuclear rhetoric and even test-fired a new nuclear-capable missile in a strike on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro.
The rare exchange between the two military chiefs highlights the increasingly strained relations and the importance of maintaining communication between the two powers to prevent further escalation.
