Biden said in remarks at the White House that he had said in a call to Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week that he would be able to proceed with the measures. While he wanted to avoid increasing tension, Biden made it clear that he would not hesitate to act further in the future.
“We can not allow a foreign power to interfere impunity in our democratic process,” Biden said.
The president said that the US “does not want to kick off a cycle of escalation and conflict in Russia. We want a stable, predictable relationship,” before issuing a warning: “If Russia continues to interfere with our democracy, we are prepared to take further steps to respond. ‘
Biden did offer an olive branch, referring to the summit he proposed with the Russian leader that he hopes will take place in Europe later this summer.
“Now is the time to take off,” he said. “The way forward is through thoughtful dialogue and diplomatic process.”
As part of Thursday’s announcement, the U.S. formally named the Russian foreign intelligence service as the force behind the SolarWinds cap affecting the federal government and large sections of the private sector. The White House also said it was expelling ten Russian diplomats from Washington, including “representatives of Russian intelligence services”, for the cyber-hacking and interference in the election.
The Biden government is banning US financial institutions from participating in the primary market for securities issued by the Russian central bank and other leading financial institutions. The US is also sanctioning six Russian technology companies that support the Russian intelligence services’ cyber program, as well as 32 entities and individuals for carrying out “Russian government-directed efforts to influence the US presidential election in 2020,” the government said in a statement. sheet. Another eight individuals and entities are approved for ‘Russian continued occupation and oppression in Crimea’.
It is not clear how much the move by the Biden government will change Putin’s behavior. Biden did not immediately answer whether the Russian president had given him any indication that he was prepared to change, but told CNN’s Phil Mattingly that he had encouraged Putin to “respond appropriately.”
“We have indicated that we will talk about it,” Biden said in response to Mattingly’s question about Putin’s attitude.
“I encouraged him to respond appropriately and not to exceed it, because we can move too. My hope and expectation is that we will be able to work out modus vivendi, but it is important that we speak directly and that we are in constant contact. be with each other, ”Biden added.
The president stressed that there are places where the US and Russia can work together. He cited the New START treaty between the two nations and works “threatened by nuclear threats from Iran and North Korea, which end this pandemic worldwide and address the existing crisis of climate change.”
“It is in the interest of the United States to work with Russia – we must, and we will. When Russia wants to violate the interests of the United States, we will respond. We will always be our country, our institutions, our people. and our allies, ”Biden said.
The White House also addressed the omission of sanctions against Russia on other issues.
Ahead of the potential summer summit, Biden could attend meetings with Putin next week. The Russian president is one of dozens of world leaders invited to a virtual summit on climate change hosted by the White House.
The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has rejected the US intelligence agency’s determination that it is responsible for the SolarWinds cap, Russian state news agency TASS reported on Thursday.
A statement released ahead of Biden’s remarks was signed by the SVR’s press chief and titled ‘Cinema and That’s it’ – a nod to the SVR’s considering the US intelligence review to be fiction. TASS reports the SVR regards the US’s determination as ‘far-fetched’ and ‘nonsense’.
This story has been updated with additional reporting.
CNN’s Maegan Vazquez, Zahra Ullah and Olga Pavlova contributed to this report.