For nearly two centuries, U.S.-Russia relations have been characterized more by understanding, solidarity, and sympathy than hostility and animosity. The dynamic between U.S. Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, on one side, and the un-crowned Tsar of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, is an exception rather than the norm in the history of relations between Washington and Moscow.
Even during the Cold War, when the two nations were avowed enemies, communication between the Pacific coasts was lively and frequent. The practice that remains in effect today is that the CIA maintains direct contact with the Kremlin; this is no coincidence. The heads of the CIA often serve as the first interlocutors for Moscow on the U.S. side rather than traditional diplomatic channels.
Historically, Washington and Moscow, excluding the latter half of the 20th century, have primarily shared common adversaries, which significantly influenced their friendly relations. First, it was the British, then the Japanese and Germans; now, China could emerge as a familiar rival and a point of convergence.
Russians and Americans first came into contact in the mid-19th century along the Pacific coast of North America. From the outset, relations between the Eurasian and rising American empires were positive. The United States aided Russia’s economic recovery after the Allied armies defeated it in the Crimean War. In return, Russia sent its fleet to American ports to assist the Union in the American Civil War against the Confederates.
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