US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu discussed the results of recent bilateral consultations on strategic stability during a phone call.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. File photo: Reuters

Washington:

According to the US Department of Defense, the purpose of Wednesday's call was to support transparency and risk-reduction efforts following the July 28 resumption of the US-Russia Strategic Stability Dialogue in Geneva, Switzerland. 

The officials also exchanged views on issues of global and regional security, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a brief statement. 

US President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed at their first summit in Geneva to launch a Strategic Stability Dialogue to lay the groundwork for future arms control and risk reduction measures. 

During the dialogue, the two sides had also discussed approaches to maintaining strategic stability, the prospects for arms control and measures to reduce risks.