Hudson, Two N.C. Colleagues Call on Biden to Cancel Putin Meeting | Eastern North Carolina Now

Publisher's Note: This post appears here courtesy of the Carolina Journal. The author of this post is CJ Staff.


    Three members of North Carolina's congressional delegation have signed a letter urging President Biden to postpone a meeting this week with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. They cite concerns about "a string of cyberattacks originating in Russia," according to a news release.

    U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson, R-8th District, served as co-lead writer on the letter. Fellow Republicans Greg Murphy of the 3rd District and Madison Cawthorn of the 11th District are among the 12 representatives from across the nation who signed the letter.

    "Dialogue between our countries is important," according to the letter. "However, a summit sends the wrong message at this time."

    "The barrage of cyberattacks from Russia must end immediately, and together we can send a strong message to Russia, and the world, that the United States will not be intimidated when we are tested," the letter continues.

    Hudson is a chairman of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's Parliamentary Assembly First Committee. He has raised concerns about a Biden-Putin meeting, along with the president "giving a green-light" to Russia's Nord Stream II pipeline.

    Those two actions "send the wrong message following cyberattacks on the Colonial Pipeline and JBS," according to the news release. Hudson "called on Putin to do more to stop the cyberattacks and not harbor those responsible."

    The new letter follows Hudson's introduction of H.Res. 426. It opposes Nord Stream II, a "pipeline that will jeopardize European nations." The bill's 22 co-sponsors include Cawthorn and fellow N.C. Republican Congressmen David Rouzer (7th District), Patrick McHenry (1oth District), and Ted Budd (13th District).