The Biden White House will have to impose sanctions on Russia in return for the SolarWinds hacker and efforts to intervene in the U.S. election.
The sanctions would apply to Russian individuals and entities and could be announced as early as Thursday, according to Bloomberg News.
Under the decision, the United States will restrict about a dozen people, including government officials and intelligence services, and about 20 groups, a source said in the release. According to reports, up to ten diplomats and officials will also be expelled from the country.
During a call on Tuesday, President Biden warned Russian President Vladimir Putin that “the United States will act firmly in defense of its national interests in response to Russia’s actions, such as cyber interference and electoral interference,” according to a White House text.
Biden also discussed the possibility of a meeting between the leaders to address issues between the two nations.
U.S. intelligence officials have said they are confident Moscow will try to influence the 2020 election. Sanctions are expected to be imposed on Russian-controlled outlets and people who sowed misinformation during the presidential race, he said. inform Bloomberg.
The expected announcement comes after Biden ordered a review in January of Russian electoral interference, US government website piracy, rewards for U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan and the poisoning of the US leader. opposition, Alexey Navalny.
The White House imposed sanctions on Russian officials for the attempted assassination of Navalny and his subsequent arrest, under the U.S. Elimination of War and Control of Chemical and Biological Weapons Act in March.
Thursday’s announcement is expected to address the other three U.S. complaints.
Russia called its envoy to Washington back to Moscow in March, after Biden called Putin a “murderer.”
Russia has denied meddling in elections, poisoned critics or tried to kill American troops.
For its part, Moscow has said it expects “nothing positive” from the Biden administration.