US to adopt different approaches for Russia, China

Biden Administration indicated on Wednesday that it would have a different approach in addressing challenges posed by Russia and China, with latter being with help of its friends and allies. "On China, president's view and administration's view is that we need to work with our allies, we need to work with our partners to align on how we are going to approach our relationship with China," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters at her daily news conference.

"We need to approach that relationship from a position of strength. re are obviously key components of that relationship, re are ecomic, re are strategic," she said when asked about differences in approaches of dealing with China and Russia.

"I think on Russia, his (Biden's) call to (Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin...is clear evidence of exactly that. When he called President Putin, he did t hold back. He made clear that while re are areas where we can work toger say, New START - which is in interest of security of United States.

"He has concerns about a number of areas of ir reported interference, wher it is in elections, in hacking of United States - SolarWinds hacking, I should say -- reports of bounties on American troops. re is an ongoing review that is happening, which he also stated in that conversation," Psaki said.

Biden, she said, has certainly spoken with a number of European allies about a range of issues of mutual interest including Russia. "In terms of what sanctions options may exist or what options, in terms of a response, may exist, president, of course, reserves right to respond in manner and course of his choosing at any point in time," she said. "But we are going to let this review complete and n our policy teams will make decisions about any specific steps y will take in response," she added.

On Wednesday, US and Russian Federation completed necessary legal procedures to extend New START Treaty for five years. "Extending New START Treaty for five years ensures we have verifiable limits on Russian ICBMs, SLBMs and heavy bombers through February 4 of 2026, avoiding a potentially unconstrained nuclear arms race," State Department Spokesperson Ned Price told reporters at his daily news conference.

New START limits every Russian nuclear warhead that is loaded onto an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that can reach US in approximately 30 minutes. US will use time provided by five-year extension of New START Treaty to pursue with Russian Federation, in consultation with Congress and its allies and partners, arms control that addresses all Russian nuclear weapons, he said.

"As we eng Russia in ways that advance American interests, we can also remain clear-eyed about challenges that Russia poses. Even as we work with Russia to advance US interests, so too will we hold Russia to account for its reckless and adversarial behaviour," Price said.