Biden presses Putin on arrest of prominent critic

Washington — In his first phone call with Vladimir Putin, President Joe Biden raised concerns Tuesday about the arrest of opposition figure Alexei Navalny and pressed the Russian leader about a massive cyberespionage campaign and bounties on American troops in Afghanistan, U.S. officials said.

On a positive note, the two presidents agreed to have their teams work urgently to complete an extension of New START, the last remaining U.S.-Russian arms control treaty, before it expires next month.

“In the nearest days, the parties will complete the necessary procedures that will ensure further functioning” of the pact, the Kremlin said in its readout of the call.

Biden has looked to break from the warm rhetoric often displayed toward Putin by his predecessor, Donald Trump. But the new president also is intent on preserving room for diplomacy.

Unlike his immediate predecessors, Biden has not held out hope for a “reset” in relations with Russia but has instead indicated he wants to manage differences with the former Cold War foe without necessarily resolving them or improving ties. And, with a heavy domestic agenda and looming decisions needed on Iran and China, a direct confrontation with Russia is not something he seeks.

The Kremlin’s readout did not address the most contentious issues between the countries, though it said the leaders also discussed other “acute issues on the bilateral and international agenda.” It described the talk as “frank and businesslike” — often a diplomatic way of referring to tense discussions. It also said Putin congratulated Biden on becoming president and “noted that normalization of ties between Russia and the United States would serve the interests of both countries.”

Moscow reached out last week to request the call, according to the U.S. officials, who were familiar with the call but not authorized to discuss it publicly. Biden agreed but wanted first to prepare with his staff and speak with European allies, including the leaders of Britain, France and Germany.

On Tuesday before his call with Putin, Biden spoke to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, pledging the United States’ commitment to the decades-old alliance founded as a bulwark against Russian aggression.