The June 16 Geneva summit between President Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin is a chance for the two leaders to map out how they will manage a difficult relationship. Here's what to know.
As the president-elect vows to get tough on Moscow, analysts say Russia's leader wants to show he'll take the fight to Washington — and his congratulations delay was just the latest sign.
During his year-end news conference, the Russian president glibly brushed aside international suspicions that Kremlin agents were behind the attempted assassination of the leading opposition figure.
President Trump counts several world leaders as his fans, many of them authoritarians, nationalists or populists. Some may struggle to stay as friendly with the White House if he loses the election.
A poll published in September found only 23% of Russians have a positive view of Trump and 43% have a negative one. Also, 55% of respondents said they were hearing about Biden for the very first time.
The arrest of a popular regional governor has led to protests demanding his release. Amid the pandemic and an economic downturn, the protests pose an additional challenge for President Vladimir Putin.
"It is very important to him to have this popular endorsement, even if it is a farce, even if it is a travesty of popular will," analyst Masha Lipman says of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Russian president says his country is making progress in its battle against the novel coronavirus, even as the number of Russians infected continues to rise.
Even after two decades in power, Russia's leader enjoys approval ratings around 70%. Supporters say he has returned the country to greatness. But a poll says over half of young adults want to leave.
The Russian president said so Thursday during his annual marathon news conference in Moscow. During the year-end event, Putin also suggested that Russia's presidential term limits "could be removed."
More than 13,000 people have been killed in the Russian insurgency since it began five years ago. The Ukrainian president entered the talks in a tricky position, wanting peace but lacking leverage.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will have his first meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Paris, in an effort to end a five-year conflict in eastern Ukraine that has cost 13,000 lives.
The rule extends a 2017 law pertaining to outlets like Voice of America. That law was drafted after the Justice Department compelled Russia-backed RT America to register as a foreign agent in the U.S.
Buzzfeed's Heidi Blake fails to support a dubious argument, but the book is worth reading for its recap of more than a dozen murder and suspicious death stories during a two-decade period.
Alexei Navalny, a prominent critic of President Vladimir Putin, runs an anti-corruption organization that Russian authorities accuse of being a "foreign agent." This week, he hit back.
His remarks come after a U.S. Defense Department test of a modified Navy Tomahawk cruise missile, and the demise of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty between Washington and Moscow.
"I think it's much more appropriate to have Russia in," President Trump told reporters. In Russia, the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said discussions should move from the media "to the expert level."
The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty was signed in 1987 by President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. The U.S. has long accused Russia of refusing to comply with its terms.
The leaders are scheduled to meet on Thursday, according to Chinese and North Korean news agencies. The visit comes after stalled negotiations with President Trump.
The U.S.-based Free Russia Foundation accuses Russia of "infiltrating the fabric of democracy," using international law and accounting firms, think tanks and institutions.
Spokesman Dmitry Peskov links the attacks to Russia's need for its own Internet. It is a "geopolitical angle to try to defend their own steps," says Internet freedom expert Sanja Kelly.
Dennis Christensen was arrested during prayer. "I hope today is the day Russia defends religious freedom," he said before the verdict. Critics call it a severe crackdown on religious freedom.
