Elaheh Noori Gholamizadeh told the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations that it seems the goal of Biden was to improve the ambience of relations between the two countries and he will use coercion sometimes and cases of economic pressures in addition to maintaining the calm appearance of politics.

Referring to the remarks of the Russian president after meeting his American counterpart, she said Putin believed that the first meeting between the two leaders was in fact a step towards strategic stability and there was no hostility between the two parties.

Biden’s efforts to transfer enmity with Russia to the lower layers of power

Referring to issues such as Russian intervention in US elections and the creation of an ambience against Trump, she said under such conditions, Biden introduced Russia as an enemy and used inappropriate words against it. “However, when the issue of transferring this enmity to the lower layers of power, naturally they hold a meeting and literature changes. These issues do not mean that the two sides have set aside the past hostilities but indicate that the present circumstances of the international order require that no war of words or conflict should exist between them.”

This analyst of international issues emphasized that there is definitely hostility and competition between the two countries and the smallest movement of Russia would create Washington’s sensitivity, saying that “given the economic and living crises and outcomes of the Covid-19 pandemic, the world is not under circumstances to create another hostility and Biden is moving in this line. After the exit of Trump, the news coming from the White House aimed to ease the conditions.”

Noori said Biden described Putin as a “killer” and “weak strongman” before meeting him and this put US and Russia relations in their worst conditions.

“The first meetings are usually determining and the US is aware of the stability created by Putin for Russia in various dimensions. This indicates that Putin has a personality that can manage disputes.”

Changing political literature in negotiations

She said the change in the political literature of the two sides in the meeting heralds hidden agreements, referring to the adoption of a joint document between Russia and the US on strategic stability for a foundational work for the future of controlling weapons and reducing dangers through negotiation.

“It seems that probably, in this meeting, they have talked about setting aside their differences by returning to a series of military agreements such as the extension of the New START treaty. Of course, in future months, the reality of what has happened in the meeting will become clear.”

This professor of the Faculty of the World Studies in the meantime while referring to some of the issues discussed between the two presidents such as strategic stability, cyber security, regional conflicts, trade relations, cooperation in the North, and agreement on returning ambassadors, emphasized that definitely, the outcome of this meeting will not culminate in close cooperation between the two countries and they may have discussed only issues about future.

Asked about the prospect of Russia-US relations given the imposition of US sanctions against Russia and reciprocal Russian sanctions and diplomatic escalations between the two countries, she pointed to the remarks by the Kremlin spokesperson who said, after the meeting between Biden and Putin, that there is no reason to remove the US from the list of non-friendly countries.

“Definitely, these macro policies emanate from inside the cycle of power ruling the US and the White House is merely an executor of such policies. The decision for the imposition of sanctions has not been taken with ease and it will not change with the replacement of administrations and would continue.”

No particular initiative by Biden

Noori said “since Biden came to the White House, no special change has been detected in policies and so far no particular initiative has been proposed and executed by Biden which indicated a particular policy. Biden, so far, has only dealt with revising some of the Trump policies as if he is buying time for himself so that some of the economic issues and problems coming from Covid-19 pandemic are removed. ”

This expert of international issues referred to the concerns of the US about close relations between Russia and China and its impact on the negotiations between Putin and Biden, saying “the United States is fragile economically against China and does not want to become fragile in military issues as well. It is very natural that the issue of China and management of competition with China are raised in negotiations; however, definitely, Russia would not abandon China. Moreover, hostility between Russia and the US is age-old.”

Prospects of US-Russia relations

Asked about the future of relations between the US and Russia given the recent meeting between the two presidents, she said “Russia is considering major goals vis-à-vis the US; for example, Russia wants guarantee of non-armed conflict especially concerning NATO, deterrence in arms, space and cyber space. These are the main goals of Russia. Therefore, it seems that in the near future, one cannot expect relations based on alliance or signing of cooperation agreements between these two countries.”

“Given that close relations of Russia with Iran, North Korea and China have been always confronted with US sensitivity, as was referred to in these negotiations, the promotion of cooperation in environmental and medical issues under the Covid-19 pandemic, is the most probable cooperation which could be forged in the near future between the two countries.”