Washington and Moscow set to restart high-level defense discussions

WEB DESK: The United States and Russia have reached an agreement to revive direct, senior-level communication channels between their armed forces, a significant step toward rebuilding military contacts that have been dormant for over four years.

According to AFP, the decision was announced following discussions in Abu Dhabi involving top military representatives from both nations, alongside Ukrainian officials. These talks, which took place over two days, formed part of broader efforts to address the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and explore pathways to a sustainable resolution.

In an official release, the U.S. European Command emphasised that reestablishing these regular exchanges would help maintain steady military-to-military engagement. Such interactions are seen as vital for enhancing global stability, increasing mutual transparency, and minimising the chances of unintended escalations or miscalculations between the two leading nuclear powers.

The previous halt to these high-level dialogues occurred in late 2021, shortly before Russia’s large-scale military action in Ukraine began in February 2022. Since then, most formal channels between Washington and Moscow had been largely severed under the previous U.S. leadership.

Diplomatic Initiatives

The renewed commitment aligns with recent diplomatic initiatives under President Donald Trump’s administration, which has prioritised reopening lines of communication with the Kremlin. This includes direct conversations between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as in-person engagements aimed at advancing negotiations to conclude the war.

The announcement arrived amid the recent lapse of the New START treaty on February 5, the last major bilateral agreement capping strategic nuclear stockpiles raising questions about future arms control arrangements and the potential for heightened competition in that domain.

While the Abu Dhabi sessions also facilitated a prisoner exchange involving hundreds of individuals from both sides the first in recent months achieving a full ceasefire or comprehensive peace deal continues to face substantial hurdles. Disagreements remain over territorial issues, frontline positions, and security guarantees.

Ukrainian representatives have characterised the negotiations as constructive yet demanding, signaling readiness to persist in pursuit of tangible progress. International mediators have stressed that considerable challenges persist before any lasting accord can be secured.

This revival of defense-level dialogue is regarded as an indirect outcome of the current push for diplomacy in the Ukraine context, potentially helping to lower immediate risks amid broader international uncertainties. Further details on the structure or timing of upcoming meetings were not immediately specified.