Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke Friday with his Russian counterpart, Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu, for the first time since Russia invaded Ukraine in February.

“Secretary Austin urged an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication,” according to a brief Pentagon readout of the call.

Austin spoke later in the weekend with his Ukrainian counterpart, where he “reiterated the unwavering U.S. support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and security assistance efforts to bolster Ukraine’s capacity to counter Russian aggression,” according to a readout.

DOD photo by Air Force Staff Sgt. Jack Sanders