The former US ambassador to Romania has been nominated by the president as the US representative to the European Union
Russia is trying to negatively affect the US mid-term congressional elections next year, US President Joe Biden said yesterday, AFP reports.
US President Joe Biden gave an extensive press conference, commenting on next year’s midterm congressional elections, US relations with Russia, the fight against the spread of the coronavirus and, in particular, the so-called Indian strain “Delta”.
“Look at what Russia has already managed to do with next year’s election and disinformation. This is, quite simply, a violation of our sovereignty,” Biden said during a visit to the US National Intelligence Command Center.
Biden commented on Vladimir Putin. According to him, the Russian president “has a real problem, he is at the head of an economy that has nuclear weapons and oil, and nothing else.”
“I think that makes it even more dangerous,” Biden said.
The US president also expressed concern about the intensification of cyberspace attacks, including attacks that use data encryption software so that a ransom can be demanded in exchange for decoding.
“If we find ourselves in a war, in a real war with weapons of another great power, it will be because of the cyber attack“said Joe Biden.
Next year, the United States will hold mid-term congressional elections, which will decide the fate of all seats in the House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate seats.
Joe Biden also commented on the expectation of a new wave of coronavirus in the United States, although much of the population has already been vaccinated. To further cover immunizations for the population, he is considering introducing an obligation for federal officials to be vaccinated.
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“This is currently being considered,” Biden said in response to a journalist’s question about whether the government planned to introduce such a measure.
U.S. health officials have urged Americans who are fully vaccinated to wear protective masks again in some cases. The reason for this call is the rapid spread of the Delta coronavirus variant.
White House spokeswoman Jen Saki said Monday that the US government has not yet commented on whether it would be legal for President Biden to impose an obligation on federal officials to be vaccinated.
“Applying more vaccines and wearing protective masks in the areas most severely affected by the Delta option will allow us to avoid quarantine. Unlike last year, we now have both scientific knowledge and tools to prevent the spread of the infection, “he said.
Biden is expected to announce in the early hours of Thursday Bulgarian time the “new steps” that the Americans will have to follow in the fight against the coronavirus.
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Yesterday, Joe Biden nominated former Ambassador Mark Gittenstein to represent the United States in the European Union. During the tenure of former President Barack Obama, Gittenstein was the US ambassador to Romania.
Joe Biden, who, unlike his presidential predecessor, Donald Trump, has always been a supporter of the European Union, has vowed to strengthen relations with the United States’ allies. The news of Gittenstein’s nomination was announced against the background of the US government’s attempts to strengthen its ties with the EU, notes AFP.
Gittenstein is a lawyer by education. For 17 years he served in various positions in the Senate of the US Congress, Reuters notes. He was also a member of the team of advisers who prepared for the transition to power earlier this year after Joe Biden was elected president in the US presidential election last year. His candidacy will be considered by the Senate.
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