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Latest news on US-Russia relations, covering diplomacy, sanctions, nuclear arms control, the Ukraine war, Trump, Putin and Washington-Moscow tensions.

The relationship between the United States and Russia stands as one of the most consequential in global affairs. As the world's two largest nuclear powers, the decisions made in Washington and Moscow reverberate across every continent, shaping security alliances, energy markets and the broader geopolitical landscape. Under President Donald Trump's second administration, US-Russia relations have entered a volatile new phase defined by intensified diplomacy, evolving sanctions policy and the pursuit of a negotiated end to Russia's war in Ukraine.

The war in Ukraine remains the central flashpoint. Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a landmark summit in Anchorage, Alaska, in August 2025, their first face-to-face meeting since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, but it ended without a ceasefire breakthrough. Since then, US-brokered peace talks involving Ukrainian, Russian and American negotiators have taken place across multiple rounds in Abu Dhabi, Geneva and other locations. Territorial concessions, particularly regarding the Donbas region, remain the most divisive issue, with Russia demanding Ukraine cede occupied land and Kyiv refusing to surrender sovereignty. A coalition of European allies has pledged security guarantees for Ukraine, including UK and French military deployments, should a deal be reached.

Nuclear arms control has entered uncharted territory. The New START treaty, the last bilateral nuclear agreement between the US and Russia, expired on 5 February 2026 without a replacement, marking the first time in over five decades that no legally binding limits govern the two countries' strategic arsenals. Trump has called for a new, modernised treaty that would include China, while Moscow insists any future framework must also address missile defence, including America's ambitious Golden Dome programme, and the nuclear arsenals of other NATO states. The two sides have, however, agreed to resume high-level military-to-military dialogue, a communication channel suspended since shortly before the 2022 invasion.

Sanctions remain a critical tool in the bilateral relationship. The US has steadily escalated economic pressure on Russia, sanctioning major oil producers Rosneft and Lukoil and targeting the "shadow fleet" of tankers used to circumvent restrictions. The EU has imposed complementary measures, including phased bans on Russian LNG and pipeline gas imports. Debate continues over how effective these sanctions have been in constraining Russia's war effort, with questions around enforcement and circumvention through countries such as India, Turkey and China. Russia's economy has shown signs of strain, though the Kremlin has so far avoided a full-blown crisis.

The US-Russia dynamic is rooted in decades of Cold War rivalry. From the nuclear brinkmanship of the Cuban Missile Crisis to the arms reduction treaties of the Reagan and post-Soviet eras, the two superpowers have oscillated between confrontation and cooperation. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 initially raised hopes for a new partnership, but successive waves of NATO enlargement, the 2008 Georgia war, Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and the full-scale invasion of Ukraine have driven relations to their lowest point since the Cold War. Allegations of Russian election interference and cyberattacks have further deepened mutual distrust.

Whether the current period of fraught diplomacy yields a durable settlement in Ukraine or marks the beginning of a new arms race will have profound implications for global security. Our ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½ feed on US-Russia relations brings together the latest reporting on peace talks, sanctions developments, nuclear policy, NATO strategy and the broader geopolitical contest between Washington and Moscow, keeping you informed as this critical relationship continues to evolve.