Carrots and sticks between US and Russia: Joe Biden’s call to Putin

According to the White House, US President Joe Biden raised concerns over the Russian aggression against their western neighbor, Ukraine and the poisoning of Alexi Navalny, the leader of the opposition in Russia, reported AFP. 

Jen Psaki, the Press Secretary of the White House said that President Biden, in his first-ever phone call as the President with  Vladimir Putin, in addition to showing support for Ukraine’s sovereignty also raised concerns over the actions of the Russian law enforcement on the supporters of Navalny.  

Psaki said Biden’s “intention was also to make clear that the United States will act firmly in defense of our national interests in response to malign actions by Russia.”

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Biden raised other “matters of concern, including interference in the 2020 election, reports of Russia placing bounties on United States soldiers in Afghanistan, the Solar Winds hack, the poisoning of Alexei Navalny and treatment of peaceful protesters by Russian security forces”, reported AFP. 

The Kremlin said that Russian President Vladimir Putin told the US President that Moscow was in favour of “normalisation” of relations between the states, reported AFP. 

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The announcement made by Kremlin stated, “The Russian President noted that the normalisation of relations between Russia and the United States would meet the interests of both countries” and further urged similar action for the “entire international community”. 

The details of the phone call between the two leaders come a day after Biden took the diplomatic way to address the issues without laying strain on the START nuclear arms deal between the states which is due to be expired soon. Both the countries have agreed to extend the duration of the arms control treaty.