The United States considers it possible to cooperate with Russia in areas of mutual interest.

This was stated by the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.

As an example of such cooperation, he cited the extension of the Treaty on Strategic Offensive Arms.

At the same time, Blinken added that "the behavior and actions of Russia" cause Washington "fears."

As an example, he cited the "poisoning" of Alexei Navalny and "interference in the elections."

"But at the same time - since it is in our interests - we were able to promptly extend the START III treaty, an agreement in the field of arms limitation and reduction, for five years," said the head of the State Department.

Blinken noted that after the extension of START III, Washington aims to further strengthen strategic stability.

“We will also look for other ways to strengthen strategic stability in relations with Russia, although we take an extremely clear position regarding its actions (including in Ukraine, where aggression continues) that run counter to our interests and values.

But we need to be able to do both, ”he said in an interview with US National Public Radio (NPR).

  • Anthony Blinken

  • Reuters

  • © Tom Brenner

On the same day, a similar statement was made by a Pentagon spokesman at a regular press briefing.

In particular, he said that Russia allegedly poses a threat to all US NATO allies, but at the same time Washington expects to work with Moscow where there is a mutual interest.

“The current administration has already made it clear that we will work with Russia to advance our own interests, while at the same time holding it accountable for its reckless and aggressive actions,” said a Pentagon spokesman.

At the same time, the US Department of Defense presented a list of accusations against Russia that has already become traditional.

“I think it's crystal clear that Russia poses a threat to all NATO allies, including the United States.

Russia reduces the level of transparency and predictability, ”said a Pentagon official.

During the briefing, it was also noted that the Russian Federation allegedly seeks "to undermine security and stability around the world."

In addition, Moscow's cooperation with Beijing, which the Pentagon called a "partnership of calculation", was also criticized.

The nuclear race is canceled

After coming to power, Joe Biden stepped up the work of the White House to extend START III.

Already on January 26, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and US Ambassador to Moscow John Sullivan exchanged notes on reaching agreements on the extension of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.

On the same day, the first telephone conversation between the presidents of Russia and the United States took place.

Recall that START III was signed by the presidents of Russia and the United States in 2010 and officially entered into force on February 5, 2011.

The agreement is valid for ten years with the possibility of extending it for another five years.

The document provided for a reduction in the number of nuclear warheads to 1,550 units, and intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine ballistic missiles and heavy bombers - to 700.

Thus, the Russian Federation and the United States at the beginning of this year extended the agreement until February 5, 2026.

“This is a very important decision, it cannot be overestimated,” said Vyacheslav Volodin, Chairman of the State Duma, on this event.

- The world was on the verge of developing an arms race.

Our President did everything to ensure that this agreement was extended. "

It is worth noting that the Biden administration's prompt action to preserve START III contrasts sharply with the policy of the previous US leader Donald Trump - during his presidency, the American administration delayed the resolution of this issue, despite Moscow's readiness to extend the agreement.

However, experts note that the speed of Biden's actions in this matter is dictated mainly by the small amount of time remaining before the termination of the treaty.

In addition, the preservation of START III is beneficial to Washington and there is a bipartisan consensus in the United States about this.

In this context, analysts emphasize that Washington's constructive position on START should not be mistaken for a real desire to establish a dialogue with Moscow on a wide range of issues.

Obama line

Analysts believe that it is too early to say that the foreign policy of the Biden administration towards Russia has already been built.

“We must wait until the administration is finally formed and directive documents on national security issues appear.

From them, the direction of American foreign policy for the coming years will be clear, "said Vladimir Batyuk, head of the Center for Military-Political Studies of the Institute of the USA and Canada, RAS, in an interview with RT.

At the same time, experts say, Washington's stake on containment of Russia and simultaneous cooperation on a limited range of issues, voiced by Blinken, is similar to the policy of former US President Barack Obama.

We will remind that the current owner of the White House under Obama served as vice president.

  • Joe Biden and Barack Obama

  • Reuters

  • © Jason Reed

“This is a logical continuation of the line of the Obama administration.

Yes, the agreement has been signed, a certain dialogue has begun.

But this does not exclude the policy of containment with all its components.

No warming should be expected.

They will try to push us on all fronts: in Ukraine, in the Black Sea region, the Arctic, Syria.

Human rights issues will be pedalized, Washington will continue to feed the pro-Western forces within Russia itself, "said Konstantin Blokhin, a researcher at the Center for Security Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, in a conversation with RT.

Experts recalled that one of the main features of the Obama administration's foreign policy was its strong ideology.

This, in particular, manifested itself in the imposition by America of other countries of its own ideological attitudes.

It was during the Obama era that the Middle East was severely destabilized during a series of "color revolutions", as well as a Washington-backed coup d'etat in Ukraine, political analysts noted.

“It is obvious that Biden can be expected to continue such an ideologized foreign policy.

And this completely excludes any possibility of compromises or agreements with both Russia and China.

Biden will stake on strengthening ties with American traditional allies.

This, in turn, will be an incentive for greater rapprochement between Russia, China and Iran, as well as other states that do not approve of American hegemony, ”Batyuk said.

Commenting on Blinken's words that the United States will look for ways to strengthen strategic stability, experts suggested that cooperation between Moscow and Washington will most likely be limited to security issues.

“These are areas such as arms control, the fight against international terrorism, the global pandemic, and climate issues.

It is unlikely that it will be possible to establish economic ties because of the sanctions, ”Batiuk stated.

Another area in which, in theory, Russia and the United States could establish cooperation, is cybersecurity, Blokhin believes.

“Cybersecurity and counterterrorism are promising areas of interaction.

But it was their democrats who undermined them in recent years.

Cybersecurity has been particularly affected.

In general, full interaction requires economic interdependence.

Then Washington will be interested in maintaining normal relations.

There is no such interdependence between our countries now, and this is not our fault, ”the analyst concluded.