Relationship dossier
Russia
United States
Relationship assessment
Strategic rivalry and the Ukraine war dominate ties, alongside limited arms-control and diplomatic engagement.
Russia toward United States
-75The Russian government has pursued policies sharply opposed by the United States, including actions associated with election interference and cyber operations, and its invasion of Ukraine has driven a severe deterioration in relations. Moscow has also used confrontational rhetoric toward Washington. The two governments have nonetheless engaged in arms control and high-level diplomacy.
United States toward Russia
-65The US government has imposed extensive sanctions on Russia, including after the 2014 annexation of Crimea and following the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and has provided substantial military and financial support to Ukraine. Washington has also maintained diplomatic engagement and arms-control arrangements with Moscow, including New START.
Overall relationship
-70The enduring relationship combines nuclear rivalry and recurrent geopolitical confrontation with a narrow, consequential history of arms-control cooperation and diplomatic engagement. The war in Ukraine and associated US sanctions have made the adversarial features dominant, while shared risks from nuclear weapons preserve incentives for limited communication and arms-control efforts.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Russia–United States relations are marked by sustained strategic rivalry, sharp disputes over Ukraine, sanctions, cyber activity, election interference, and nuclear security. The governments have also maintained limited channels for diplomacy and arms control, including the New START treaty and the 2021 Geneva summit. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, confrontation has intensified, with extensive US sanctions and support for Ukraine.
Areas of tension
- Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and US support for Ukraine
- US sanctions on Russia, including measures imposed after Crimea’s annexation and the 2022 invasion
- Alleged Russian election interference and cyber operations
- Nuclear weapons, arms control, and military escalation
Key developments
Russia and the United States signed the New START treaty on measures for the further reduction and limitation of strategic offensive arms.
The United States imposed new sanctions on Russia after Russia’s annexation of Crimea.
The Russian and US presidents met in Geneva and issued a joint statement on strategic stability.
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine; the United States responded with extensive sanctions and support for Ukraine.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and effectiveness of remaining arms-control and diplomatic channels are unclear.
- The extent and attribution of cyber operations and election interference remain contested.