Russia-US Relations

Regional News • Americas • United States
The US expelled 10 Russian diplomats and issues sanctions over SolarWinds hacking attack

The US has announced sanctions against Russian entities and expelled 10 Russian diplomats in response to a hacking attack and election interference.

President Joe Biden's executive order "sends a signal that the United States will impose costs in a strategic and economically impactful manner on Russia if it continues or escalates its destabilising international action," the White House said.

Regional News • Europe • Russia
Washington and Brussels have imposed sanctions against Russian officials over Navalny poisoning
Washington and Brussels have imposed sanctions against Russian officials over Navalny poisoning
Credit: Courtesy of Twitter / Christo Grozev

After the US intelligence officials concluded that the Russian government was behind the attack on Navalny, the Biden administration slapped sanctions on Russian individuals and entities

Tuesday's sanctions mark the first of several steps by the Biden administration to "respond to a number of destabilizing actions,'' said one of the White House officials.

Brussels imposed bans on travel and froze the assets in Europe of Alexander Bastrykin, head of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, Igor Krasnov, the prosecutor general, Viktor Zolotov, head of the National Guard, and Alexander Kalashnikov, head of the Federal Prison Service

Regional News • Americas • United States
Russian parliament extends New Start nuclear treaty with US
President Barack Obama attends a New START Treaty meeting hosted by Vice President Joe Biden in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Nov. 18, 2010.
President Barack Obama attends a New START Treaty meeting hosted by Vice President Joe Biden in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Nov. 18, 2010. Credit: The White House from Washington, DC, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Duma, Russia's lower house of Parliament, has voted to ratify an extension of the New Start nuclear arms control treaty by five years, one of the last major pacts between Russia and the US.

Regional News • Americas • United States
United States close remaining consulates in Russia
United States close remaining consulates in Russia
Credit: unsplash.com / Kevin Lanceplaine

The administration of outgoing US President Donald Trump wants to close the two remaining US consulates in Russia. As the U.S. State Department confirmed to the AFP news agency, the U.S. representation in Vladivostok is to be closed and the consulate in Yekaterinburg will cease operations for the time being. After that, the embassy in Moscow would be the last U.S. diplomatic representation in Russia.

Regional News • Americas • United States
Vladimir Putin congratulates Joe Biden on election victory
Putin and Biden in 2011
Putin and Biden in 2011 Credit: Official White House Photo by David Lienemann / via Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has congratulated future U.S. President Joe Biden on his election victory after the decision of the Electoral College. Moscow is "ready for cooperation," a Kremlin statement said. "For my part, I am ready for cooperation and contacts with you," Putin wrote in a telegram to Biden, according to the Kremlin.