The United States and Russia have agreed to restore high-level military-to-military communication for the first time in more than four years, a move that comes as fighting in Ukraine grinds on and Moscow escalates attacks on critical infrastructure.
The channel was suspended in late 2021, months before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Its revival follows renewed diplomatic efforts since Donald Trump returned to office, pledging to push for a negotiated end to the war.
U.S. European Command said the restored line will allow “consistent military-to-military contact” aimed at reducing the risk of dangerous incidents between American, NATO, and Russian forces. The agreement emerged from meetings in Abu Dhabi involving senior U.S., Russian, and Ukrainian officials.
U.S. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, the commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Europe, attended the talks as discussions on a possible settlement entered a second day. Officials offered no details on substantive progress.
The move comes against a backdrop of heightened tension. Russia has stepped up drone and missile strikes on Ukraine’s power grid, leaving civilians vulnerable during winter conditions, while heavy fighting continues along the roughly 1,000-kilometer front line in eastern and southern Ukraine.
The restored hotline is intended to prevent close encounters from spiraling out of control. In March 2023, a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone was lost over the Black Sea after an incident involving Russian fighter jets — one of several near-misses that raised alarm across NATO capitals.
Alongside the talks, Russia and Ukraine confirmed a new prisoner exchange. Moscow said 157 Russian servicemen were returned, while Kyiv reported the return of 150 Ukrainian service members and seven civilians. Ukrainian officials said many of those freed were in poor physical and psychological condition.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this week that approximately 55,000 Ukrainian troops have been killed since the invasion began, underscoring the human cost as diplomacy and battlefield escalation continue in parallel.
