The call, which took place that afternoon, came down to Biden’s opening up on diplomacy with one of his main opponents, whom he had previously met but was not treated as an equal.
“His intention was also to make it clear that the United States will certainly act in defense of our national interests in response to malicious actions by Russia,” Psaki said, noting that the call took place during her briefing and that a more comprehensive summary would come later.
Biden hopes to take a firmer line with Putin, officials said. He has ordered a review by administrative agencies on issues related to Russia and could impose new sanctions on the country.
But he also made a first bid for diplomacy over the nuclear deal, indicating that he is willing to promote a working relationship with Putin.
“I think we can both function in the mutual self-interest of our countries as a new START agreement, and it can make it clear to Russia that we are very concerned about their behavior, whether it is Navalny or the Solar. “Winds are whether there are reports of abundance on Americans’ heads in Afghanistan,” he told reporters on Monday.
“I have asked the relevant agencies to read to me thoroughly on all these issues, to update me exactly where it is, and I will not hesitate to address the issues with the Russians,” he said.
According to a person familiar with the matter, on Tuesday at Moscow’s request, Biden said he wanted to consult with leaders in Europe and his advisers before calling Putin. The Kremlin made the call shortly after Biden took office last week, which is standard for foreign leaders hoping to speak to the new president.
The person said Biden had received a series of briefings ahead of a call from senior officials on administrative posts and Putin’s likely reactions when Biden raised issues such as the Solar Winds cap and Navalny poisoning.
Biden’s predecessor often entered his calls with Putin unprepared and at least once disregarded the advice of his advisers not to congratulate Putin on winning his election.
Biden also spoke to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday, giving a symbolic talk on the role of the defense bloc in the defense against Russian aggression in Europe.
Biden also spoke to leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom, including on issues related to Russia.
Putin was one of the last world leaders to congratulate Biden on winning the presidency, and waited until it was clear that Trump had lost the College of Election count to express formal greetings.
The two men met when Biden was vice president and he was visiting Moscow. During a tour of Putin’s office, Biden later claimed to have told the Russian leader, inches from his face, that he did not believe he had a soul.