In the wake of NATO’s support for Ukraine, Russia has sought to open lines of communication with the U.S., with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin receiving a call from his Russian counterpart, Andrey Belousov. What Happened: The call took place on Friday, a day after the NATO summit concluded in Washington. During the call, Austin “emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication amid Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine,” Pentagon’s Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said. The recent NATO summit focused on countering Russia, with members pledging military and financial support f…