Russia calls Defense Secretary Austin after NATO summit to express concerns

Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov called his American counterpart, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, on Friday to express his concerns about the NATO summit. The call came the day after the 33rd NATO summit concluded in Washington, D.C., with members promising continued support for Ukraine.

"Secretary Austin emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication amid Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine," according to a Department of Defense press release.

The pair previously spoke on June 25, The Hill reported. They had not otherwise spoken since March of 2023 because US-Russia relations had "almost entirely broken down since Kremlin forces invaded Ukraine in February 2022."

At the summit, NATO allies pledged continued support for Ukraine in its war against Russia. The allies also spoke of Ukraine's "irreversible path" toward NATO membership.

The Russian government on Friday expressed its dissatisfaction with NATO's expansion and pledged to respond.

"We see in fact that the alliance’s military infrastructure is constantly and gradually moving towards our borders," Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. "All of this will require us to take thoughtful, coordinated and effective responses to deter and confront the alliance."