The unprecedented scandal in relations between the United States and Russia, caused by Joe Biden's interview with ABC, left behind a smoking funnel of information explosion, an acute post-traumatic syndrome and the question: "What's next?"
The answer to it requires a departure from the clichés and stereotypes replicated by politicians, experts and the media both in Moscow and in Washington.
Attempts to find analogies, to draw parallels with the most dramatic episodes of the Cold War, which was based on the confrontation between the two superpowers - the United States and the USSR - create only the appearance of credibility.
No, this is still not Cold War 2.0, but a new, previously unknown state, in which there is only one step from irreconcilable rivalry to still possible, albeit very limited, selective, but cooperation.
Confirmation that we are talking about a transition to a new phase, a new model of relations that needs to be thoroughly comprehended, were the ongoing consultations of the Russian ambassador to Moscow, who was invited but not recalled to Moscow, Anatoly Antonov.
Based on the results of a massive brainstorming session conducted with his participation these days, the only correct decision will be taken, one must think.
On the one hand, it should allow Moscow to save face and continue not to give Washington the opportunity to feel like Jupiter, to show its "leadership rudeness" and permissiveness, on the other hand, to avoid closing America for itself, as Russian jingoistic patriots urge.
Since Columbus discovered it a long time ago, and it still won't go anywhere from us.
As are we from her.
The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, defined this most difficult task as follows: Moscow will have to decide what “ways of straightening out the Russian-American ties in a difficult state” and how to prevent their “irreversible degradation”.
At the same time, she made it clear that, given the price of the issue, it was impossible to rush to a decision.
Since measure seven times, cut one.
“How long will it take for this?
Exactly as much as the consultations themselves will take, "said Maria Zakharova, according to whom the meetings will take place not only on Smolenskaya Square, but also in other Russian departments.
After Joe Biden's interview with ABC TV channel, many could have a feeling that right now, at this moment, Russian-American relations have reached the bottom.
Even if not without the active help of TV presenter Stephanopoulos, not a single president in US history dared to award Joe Biden with the “killer” label of the leader of a great power that does not want to play by American rules.
Someone even took these words almost as a declaration of war on Russia and Putin.
In general, by the standards of classical diplomacy, this could well serve as a basis for breaking off relations.
The predecessor of Joe Biden, Donald Trump, did nothing of the kind, leaving behind a herbarium of pompous, flowery phrases about the importance of dialogue with Russia.
But it is also true that no American president has inflicted such damage on Russian-American relations as Donald Trump, who destroyed three of their supporting structures at once: the institution of summit meetings, the legal framework for arms control and diplomatic channels of interaction.
Yes, he spoke well of Russia, while President Biden says terrible things about it and its leader.
But after all, as the Americans say, words are cheap - words are of little value, deeds are important.
Be that as it may, before his scandalous interview with ABC, Joe Biden managed to renew the Treaty on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (START III), which expired on February 5.
While his sweet-voiced in relation to Russia, the predecessor categorically refused to do this.
So the question of how and when Russian-American relations hit rock bottom, under Trump or under Biden, can be a subject for discussion.
However, today it is no longer so important.
Another thing is important.
While Russian diplomacy is exploring the possibility of surfacing, or, as Maria Zakharova says, “straightening out,” one must understand that any bottom is rarely flat, it has its own heterogeneous landscape and relief.
Many of us have seen this while diving into the sea (not necessarily scuba diving - with a mask or just with swimming goggles).
Having dived to the Russian-American bottom today, you can find on it a lot of curious things: the overturned boat of Gorbachev's new thinking with a broken bottom, covered with silt, the rusty anchor of Russia's Yeltsin membership in the "Big Eight" torn off the chain, the fishing line of Vladimir Putin and George junior and much more.
But even if we imagine that we are at the Russian-American bottom, let us not forget that any bottom has not only depressions, but also ups.
The search for such heights, points of interaction that will allow us to cooperate with the United States where it is necessary and interesting for us - this is the main task of today and tomorrow.
There may not be so few of them: strategic stability, non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, environmental security, the Arctic, Afghanistan.
Apparently, Washington also understands this, trying to back up the scandal with Joe Biden's interview.
It is noteworthy that attempts to avoid further collapse of relations with Russia are being undertaken by the US President himself, who seems to have realized what one careless phrase can lead to.
In an address to the participants of the last EU summit, the US president called on partners to interact with Russia and China, after which he announced the invitation of Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping to the summit on combating climate change, which Washington intends to hold on April 22-23.
It did not go unnoticed that at the first press conference of Joe Biden as president of the United States, not a single question about Russia was raised.
Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Vladimir Putin, sees this as an encouraging sign.
“On the whole, one can probably note with satisfaction that American journalists did not ask anything about Russia.
It means, probably, there is remission in Russophobic seizures.
This is good, ”Dmitry Peskov commented on the deflated scandal two weeks ago.
To complete the picture, it remains to add that the American Ambassador to Moscow, John Sullivan, announced that he was not going to leave the Russian capital.
“I am always glad to have the opportunity to communicate with my friend Ambassador Antonov,” John Sullivan noted, as if there was no scandal in relations with Moscow.
Well, Ambassador Antonov went even further, saying that "the two great powers, the two permanent members of the Security Council, who bear a special responsibility for international peace and security, have no time to quarrel, they need to do concrete things, fight common challenges and threats."
So the most interesting thing on the Russian-American day is ahead.
It’s not over, it’s just beginning.
It's just that now everything will be different, not the same as before.
The point of view of the author may not coincide with the position of the editorial board.