After four years, the US and Russia reopen military communication channel. Important for “global stability”, US says.
Russia and the United States have agreed to resume high-level dialogue between the two countries’ military forces.
This is what the American military’s European command says in a statement on Thursday, according to the AFP news agency.
It is the first time in over four years. The dialogue was put on hold shortly before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The agreement was reached after the United States, Russia and Ukraine met in Abu Dhabi over two days on Wednesday and Thursday.
– The United States and the Russian Federation agreed today in Abu Dhabi to re-establish high-level military-to-military dialogue, the US European Command said in a statement, adding that “the parties continue to work towards a lasting peace”.
– Maintaining dialogue between military forces is an important factor for global stability and peace, it says.
The Russian government has not yet commented.
The American news agency AP calls it a sign of the better relations that have come between the two countries since the American president, Donald Trump, began his second term.
But the improved relations could not prevent the US-Russia nuclear treaty, known as New Start, from expiring on Thursday.
It was the last agreement on nuclear arms control between the two countries. The expiry of the agreement has led to fears of a new arms race between the countries.
At the meeting in Abu Dhabi, an agreement was also reached to exchange prisoners between Russia and Ukraine.
