The Pentagon considers it important in the current situation to maintain the possibility of contacts with Russia and China, the Pentagon Press Secretary Patrick Ryder told a briefing on Friday, Trend reports citing TASS.
"I think it's important, absolutely important to keep the lines of communication open with Russia, also with China," he said responding to a question of whether the US needs such communication with Russia now.
"This is something that [US Defense] Secretary [Lloyd] Austin has talked about frequently, and that it's an important responsibility of all nations, particularly those that maintain vast military arsenals to keep those lines of communication open to reduce the potential for miscalculation. So that's something that we'll continue to endeavor to do," Ryder said.
He did not give a clear answer to the question of whether the US and Russia used a channel of communication designed to avoid conflict "for coordination" this week during a trip of US President Joe Biden to Kiev.
"In regards to the President's trip to Ukraine, I'm going to have to refer you to the White House there. "Regarding the President's trip to Ukraine, I would refer you to the White House," Ryder said.