Cybersecurity: President warns president against hacking, interference amid tensions

*A Whitehouse statement Tuesday says President Joe Biden has made clear that the United States will act firmly in defence of its national interests in response to Russia’s actions, such as cyber intrusions and election interference

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

Ahead of expected retaliation over the SolarWinds Corporation hack that American officials blame on Russia, United States President Joe Biden warned Russian President Vladimir Putin in a call that the US would “act firmly in defense of its national interests”.

Biden also proposed a summit between the two leaders to discuss the “full range” of issues confronting Moscow and Washington, agency report said.

It was gathered the conversation between the two leaders ─ the first since Biden said in a March interview that he viewed the Russian President as a “killer” ─ came as tensions soar over Russia’s buildup of forces near Ukraine’s borders.

It also took place ahead of the expected US retaliation over the SolarWinds Corporation hack that American officials blame on Russia.

A White House statement about the call between the two leaders Tuesday, April 13, said: “The President voiced our concerns over the sudden Russian military build-up in occupied Crimea and on Ukraine’s borders, and called on Russia to de-escalate tensions.

“President Biden also made clear that the United States will act firmly in defence of its national interests in response to Russia’s actions, such as cyber intrusions and election interference.”

Meanwhile, it wasn’t clear when and where a potential summit would take place, but the White House statement noted Biden “proposed a summit meeting in a third country in the coming months to discuss the full range of issues facing the United States and Russia.”

On the Tuesday call, the leaders also “discussed a number of regional and global issues, including the intent of the United States and Russia to pursue a strategic stability dialogue on a range of arms control and emerging security issues, building on the extension of the New START Treaty,” the White House said.

The statement added that the US President is seeking to build a “stable and predictable relationship with Russia consistent with U.S. interests.”