US President Joe Biden , on Monday said that it’s “clear” Russia is considering the use of chemical and biological weapons in Ukraine and warns of a “severe” Western response if it chose to do so.
“His back is against the wall,” said Biden of Russian President Vladimir Putin, noting that Russia has recently accused the United States of holding chemical and biological weapons in Europe.
“Simply not true. I guarantee you,” he told a gathering of US business leaders in Washington. “They are also suggesting that Ukraine has biological and chemical weapons in Ukraine. That’s a clear sign he’s considering using both of those,” he says.
We had a long conversation about if he uses it, what will be the consequence,” said Biden, referring to a summit with the Russian leader last year in Geneva.
Earlier in the day, Biden issued a statement warning the US business community of intelligence pointing to a growing Russian cyber threat and urging companies to “immediately” prepare defenses.
“If you have not already done so, I urge our private sector partners to harden your cyber defenses immediately,” he said, citing “evolving intelligence that the Russian government is exploring options for potential cyberattacks” including in response to Western sanctions over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
“It’s part of Russia’s playbook,” he said.His statement added that the US government would “continue to use every tool to deter, disrupt, and if necessary, respond to cyberattacks against critical infrastructure.”
However, he underlined that most critical infrastructure in the country is owned and operated by private entities, which cannot be compelled to take specific cyber security measures.
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