Biden-Putin discuss ransomware attacks from Russia

US President Joe Biden on Friday (local time) discussed recent ransomware attacks on the US from Russia in a phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

According to the White House statement, President Biden underscored the need for Russia to take action to disrupt ransomware groups operating in Russia and emphasized that he is committed to continued engagement on the broader threat posed by ransomware.

He reiterated that the United States will take any necessary action to defend its people and its critical infrastructure in the face of this continuing challenge.

President Biden told Russian President Putin that the United States will take "any necessary action" to defend US infrastructure after Russia-based hackers carried out the largest known ransomware attack to date, afflicting up to 1,500 companies, schools, and hospitals around the world.

Meanwhile, both leaders commended the joint work of their respective teams following the US-Russia Summit that led to the unanimous renewal of cross-border humanitarian assistance to Syria today in the UN Security Council.

Earlier, both leaders had met in Geneva last month. That was the first meeting of Biden in a decade with the Russian president, whom he last met when Putin was prime minister and he was serving as vice president, in March of 2011.

( With inputs from ANI )