U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel held a meeting with Russian National Security Council chief Nikolai Patrushev on Tuesday, May 21, discussing bilateral and international issues, Pentagon press secretary George Little said, according to RIA Novosti.

“Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel met with Russian Federation Security Council Secretary General Nikolai Patrushev today at the Pentagon to discuss a range of issues including missile defense, increasing military to military cooperation and the ongoing crisis in Syria,” Little said.

The press secretary said Hagel also expressed his intention to meet with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.

“Secretary Hagel looks forward to continued dialogue with Russian security leaders and meeting with his counterpart, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, in the future,” he said.

Patrushev is currently on an official visit to the United States, where he is expected hand over to President Barack Obama a letter from his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

Putin’s letter will be a response to Obama’s message that U.S. National Security Advisor Tom Donilon brought to Moscow a month ago.