Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke to his Russian counterpart, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Friday for the first time since Russia initiated its invasion of Ukraine. According to a readout from the Pentagon, during the conversation with Shoigu, Austin "urged an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication." The call is the first time the two officials have spoken since Feb. 18, before Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.

A Russian lawmaker is warning Friday that recent comments from Poland’s leaders are encouraging Moscow to "put it in first place in the queue for denazification after Ukraine." Finland is preparing for Russia to cut off gas supplies after leaders in Helsinki backed entering Nato “without delay”.The Kremlin warned it would retaliate with "reciprocal steps, military-technical and other" as it branded Finnish membership to the US-led alliance a risk to Russian security.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.