NATO has branded Vladimir Putin a ‘threat’ to global security in highlighting Russia‘s ‘malicious’ cyber activity against western nations.
In a joint statement, the military alliance insisted it stands in solidarity with the likes of the US, UK and France, in accusing Moscow of targeting allied nations and Ukraine with its military intelligence service, the GRU.
NATO mantains Germany and Czech Republic were also hit by a Russian cyber operation last year via APT 28, a GRU-sponsored actor.
The statement said: “We also note with concern that the same threat actor targeted other national governmental entities, critical infrastructure operators and other entities across the Alliance, including in Romania.
“We call on Russia to stop its destabilising cyber and hybrid activities. These activities demonstrate Russia’s disregard for the United Nations framework for responsible state behaviour in cyberspace, which Russia claims to uphold.”
NATO added how these incidents and its harmful impact reflect the increasing use of cyber and hybrid threats made by the Kremlin to destabalise members and to support its conflict with Ukraine.
It reaffirmed its support for the Ukrainian regime will continue, through cyber assistance, and that it is committed to applying the lessons it learned from the Russia–Ukraine war to strengthen each ally’s cyber defenses.
Meanwhile, a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US.President Donald Trump has been agreed upon, a Kremlin official said, and it could potentially take place next week at a location that has been “agreed in principle.”
“At the suggestion of the American side, it has been agreed in principle to hold a bilateral meeting at the highest level in the coming days,” Putin’s foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov told reporters.
Ushakov said next week is the target for the summit, but emphasized that events of this scale require preparation and no specific date has been confirmed.
A meeting between Putin and Trump would mark their first since the Republican president returned to office earlier this year.
While it would represent a notable moment in the conflict, there is no indication such talks would bring an end to the war, as Russia and Ukraine remain deeply divided over their terms.