Biden has first call with Putin, presses Russian leader on Navalny arrest, hack of US agencies, arms control

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian leader Vladimir Putin have held their first conversation as counterparts in a phone call that underscored troubled relations and the delicate balance between the former Cold War foes. According to the White House, Biden raised concerns Tuesday about the arrest of opposition figure Alexei Navalny, Russia’s alleged involvement in a massive cyber espionage campaign and reports of Russian bounties on American troops in Afghanistan. The Kremlin, meanwhile, focused on Putin’s response to Biden’s proposal to extend the last remaining U.S.-Russia arms control treaty.