Joe Biden warned Vladimir Putin that Russia would face consequences if it failed to act against hackers behind a spate of ransomware attacks, saying the US would take “any necessary action” to protect its people and infrastructure.
The White House said the two leaders spoke by phone on Friday “about the ongoing ransomware attacks by criminals based in Russia that have impacted the United States and other countries around the world”, in their first conversation since meeting in Geneva last month.
Biden “underscored the need for Russia to take action to disrupt ransomware groups operating in Russia and emphasised that he is committed to continued engagement on the broader threat posed by ransomware,” the White House said.