Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu on Wednesday had a telephone conversation with Armenian Defense Minister Vagharshak Harutyunyan, according to the Russian Defense Ministry, TASS reports.

"The defense ministers discussed the situation in connection with settlement in Nagorno-Karabakh [(Artsakh)], as well as other issues of mutual interest," the respective statement also said.

The conversation took place ahead of the talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan scheduled for Wednesday in Moscow.