U.S. defense chief urged immediate Ukraine ceasefire in call with Russian counterpart - Pentagon

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin held a call with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Friday in which he called for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and stressed the importance of maintaining lines of communication, the Pentagon said.

It was the first time Austin had spoken with Shoigu since Feb. 18, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.