At NATO summit, Biden warns of Russia and China
President Joe Biden met with leaders at the NATO summit in Brussels on Monday.
"NATO stands together — that's how we've met every other threat in the past," Biden said, reaffirming the U.S. commitment to the alliance.
The president talked with NATO allies about the challenges of fighting the pandemic and the growing security threat of Russia and China.
"We're facing a once-in-a-century global health crisis. At the same time, the democratic values that undergird our alliance are under increasing pressure, both internally and externally," Biden said. "Russia and China are both seeking to drive a wedge in our transatlantic solidarity."
NATO allies are calling on Russia to drop its designation of the U.S. and Czech Republic as "unfriendly countries." They also committed to providing funding for the Kabul airport and troop withdrawal in Afghanistan.
"Leaders agreed that we need to address such challenges together as an alliance and that we need to engage with China to defend our security interests," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said.
The summit is one of several meetings leading up to Biden's sit-down meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday in Geneva.
"I'm going to make clear to President Putin that there are areas where we can cooperate if he chooses," Biden said, "and if he chooses not to cooperate and acts in a way that he has in the past relative to cybersecurity and some other activities, then we will respond. We will respond in kind."
The two are expected to discuss recent cyber-attacks against American companies. The Russian leader has dismissed allegations Russia was behind the attacks.
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