US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet in Geneva on June 16, 2021. (photo: AP)

Relations between Russia and the US have been tense for many years and getting worse, according to both sides. Almost all collaborative efforts have been halted.

The Russia-US summit’s best result was a shared intention to embark together on a bilateral Strategic Stability Dialogue in the near future.

Creating a stable relation

Russia and the US have a range of bilateral and multilateral issues to discuss, including regional conflicts and global security. They agreed to resume a comprehensive dialogue on strategic stability, send their ambassadors back to their posts, and restart foreign ministry consultations.

The beyond-expectation result shows a shared desire for dialogue. Following a telephone talk between the two Presidents in April, a series of meetings at various levels were held to prepare for the summit. For both sides to have listened to each other and pledged to hold further future dialogues on specific solutions is a good start.

Although Moscow and Washington are wary of trusting each other, they agree on the need to-deescalate the tension. Russia has repeatedly said it is ready to sit down for talks with the US to revitalize bilateral ties that are based on fairness and mutual respect.

US President Joe Biden (photo: AP)

Shaping global order

With China’s rise to become a competitor of the US, Biden has prioritized cooperating with Russia in areas of mutual benefit. Russia has maintained a tough stance which is mostly symbolic. Recent cooperative results, like extending the New START Treaty, telephone talks soon after Biden was sworn in to office, and no US sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 oil pipeline from Russia to the EU, have further the US aim of establishing more stable and predictable ties with Russia.

Biden’s decision to meet Putin early in his presidency shows an eagerness to stabilize this relationship to free resources for dealing with threats from China.

Russia has not pushed any confrontation, content to take advantage of the US-China confrontation to gain economic benefit.

Analysts say most Asian nations will benefit from reduced US-Russia tensions. Better relations between the two will help Southeast Asia contain an increasingly aggressive China.