15 March 2017, 17:10 GMT
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The United States and Russian armed forces continue to interact and maintain communications among senior-level staff, spokesperson Michelle Baldanza told Sputnik.
"The US and Russian militaries continue to interact on a limited set of issues," Baldanza stated on Thursday. "United States and Russia also maintain senior-level lines of communication as appropriate."
The US Defense Department halted military cooperation with the Russian armed forces in the wake of Crimea’s vote to reunite with Russia in early 2014.
Baldanza recalled that the restriction has been codified into law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act.
On Wednesday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told a local newspaper that Moscow sees a need to improve military contacts with Washington, but US legal limitations imposed by the administration of former President Barack Obama stand in the way.
