THE WORLD, CONNECTEDGeopolitical Relationship Atlas
BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP

United States and Russia

Ukraine, economic sanctions and nuclear arms control dominate the relationship between the United States and Russia. Residual trade coexists with a strategic confrontation that has international consequences.

Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-06 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-07

Ukraine

The invasion transforms the relationship and the sanctions regime.

Trade

Residual trade is far below its 2021 level.

Nuclear risk

Arms control affects global security.

Bilateral indicators

Blank cells: data unavailable.

Indicators of the relationship between United States and Russia
IndicatorValuePeriod
Goods trade4,359.5 M USD2025 · Census
Goods: United States to Russia582.7 M USD2025 · Census
Goods: Russia to United States3,776.8 M USD2025 · Census
Services trade1,500 M USD2025 · USTR
Export share: United States to Russia0.03 %2025 · Census
Export share: Russia to United States
Investment stock: United States in Russia7,759 M USDBEA est.2025 · BEA
Investment stock: Russia in United States3,888 M USDBEA est.2025 · BEA
Definitions and sources

Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.

Goods trade
2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · Full calendar year; goods; nominal USD; not seasonally adjusted. U.S. reporting. The total is calculated by adding exports and imports. Revisions may differ from rounding in other sources.
Goods: United States to Russia
2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · Full calendar year; goods; nominal USD; not seasonally adjusted. U.S. reporting. The total is calculated by adding exports and imports. Revisions may differ from rounding in other sources.
Goods: Russia to United States
2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · Full calendar year; goods; nominal USD; not seasonally adjusted. U.S. reporting. The total is calculated by adding exports and imports. Revisions may differ from rounding in other sources.
Services trade
2025 · USTR
Export share: United States to Russia
2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · Calculated share: U.S. exports to the partner (goods row in this table) / U.S. goods exports to the world. Same Census reporting, year 2025 and millions of USD, not seasonally adjusted. Excludes services.
Investment stock: United States in Russia
2025 · U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) · Direct investment position at historical cost; immediate host economy or country of the foreign parent, not ultimate owner. Statistical estimate, year-end. Not an annual flow, market value or authorisation to operate with sanctioned entities. · Position!G28
Investment stock: Russia in United States
2025 · U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) · Direct investment position at historical cost; immediate host economy or country of the foreign parent, not ultimate owner. Statistical estimate, year-end. Not an annual flow, market value or authorisation to operate with sanctioned entities. · Position!G58

Country comparison

Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.

Economic and demographic comparison of United States and Russia
IndicatorUnited StatesRussia
Nominal GDP30.77 trillion USD2025 · WB2.59 trillion USDIMF est.2025 · IMF
GDP per capita90,026.52 USD2025 · WB17,972.12 USDIMF est.2025 · IMF
GDP growth2.16 %2025 · WB1 %2025 · WB
Policy interest rate3.75–4 %2026-09-16 · Fed14 %2026-09-11 · CBR
Inflation · annual average2.7 %IMF est.Annual average · 2025 · IMF8.72 %Annual average · 2025 · WB
Inflation · latest year-on-year figure3.4 %Year-on-year · Aug. 2026 · BLS6.33 %Year-on-year · Aug. 2026 · CBR
Unemployment4.2 %ILO est.2025 · WB2.13 %ILO est.2025 · WB
Budget balance (% of GDP)-6.8 %IMF est.2025 · IMF-3.9 %IMF est.2025 · IMF
Gross public debt (% of GDP)123.9 %IMF est.2025 · IMF17.2 %IMF est.2025 · IMF
Current account balance (% of GDP)-3.63 %2025 · WB1.68 %2025 · WB
Population341,784,8572025 · WB143,997,000IMF est.2025 · IMF
Area9,831,510 km²2023 · BM / FAO17,125,190 km²2023 · BM / FAO
Military expenditure
Military expenditure (% of GDP)
Definitions, dates and sources

Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.

For Russia, GDP, population and GDP per capita are estimates from the same IMF (WEO) dataset for 2025. The per-capita figure published by the IMF is used, rather than a calculation of our own. The earlier World Bank series could not be reconciled and are not mixed with this dataset. Review: 2026-10-07. IMF data terms of use0

Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0

Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.

Nominal GDP
Current USDUnited States: 2025 · World BankRussia: 2025 · Nominal GDP in current USD · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est. · IMF estimate (WEO). GDP, GDP per capita and population for this country come from the same WEO query for 2025; no separate GDP-per-capita figure has been calculated.
GDP per capita
Current USD per personUnited States: 2025 · World BankRussia: 2025 · Nominal GDP per capita in current USD · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est. · IMF estimate (WEO). GDP, GDP per capita and population for this country come from the same WEO query for 2025; no separate GDP-per-capita figure has been calculated.
GDP growth
Annual real change (%)United States: 2025 · World BankRussia: 2025 · World Bank
Policy interest rate
Central bank instrument (%)United States: 2026-09-16 · Federal funds target range · Federal ReserveRussia: 2026-09-11 · Bank of Russia policy rate · Bank of Russia
Inflation · annual average
Average annual change in headline CPI (%)United States: 2025 · Average annual change in headline CPI (%) · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est. · WEO estimate; not the year-on-year change for December or August 2026. · Alternative official source; verified 2026-10-07Russia: 2025 · Annual average change in CPI (%) · World Bank
Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedUnited States: 2026-08 · Headline CPI change relative to the same month of the previous year (%) · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Published: 2026-09-11 · Headline year-on-year CPI-U, not seasonally adjusted; not monthly or core inflation.Russia: 2026-08 · Change in headline CPI from the same month of the previous year (%) · Bank of Russia · Published: 2026-09-16 · Year-on-year CPI. The commentary's 6.9% is annualised seasonally adjusted monthly growth and is not used here.
Unemployment
% of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionUnited States: 2025 · World Bank · ILO est.Russia: 2025 · World Bank · ILO est.
Budget balance
General government (% of GDP)United States: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Russia: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.
Gross public debt
General government (% of GDP)United States: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Russia: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.
Current account balance
% of GDPUnited States: 2025 · World BankRussia: 2025 · World Bank
Population
PeopleUnited States: 2025 · World BankRussia: 2025 · Population from the WEO series; do not mix with a denominator from another source · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est. · IMF estimate (WEO). GDP, GDP per capita and population for this country come from the same WEO query for 2025; no separate GDP-per-capita figure has been calculated.
Area
Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceUnited States: 2023 · Total area including inland waters; territorial coverage of the source · World Bank · FAORussia: 2023 · Total area, including inland waters; territorial coverage as defined by the source · World Bank · FAO
Military expenditure
Current USD per year; SIPRI series
Military expenditure (% of GDP)
Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship

Goods trade

4,400 M USD

2025

USTR estimate; excludes services. [4]

Goods trade before the invasion

36,000 M USD

2021

Historical reference from the USTR report. [5]

Expiry of New START

5 February 2026

2026

Date confirmed by the United Nations. [6]

What they buy and sell

Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.

United States to Russia

Trade composition unavailable from United States to Russia
Product or sectorValue / share

Russia to United States

2024

Selected products exported from Russia to United States
Product or sectorValue / share
Fertilisers≈30 %2024 · Source
Inorganic chemicals≈28 %2024 · Source

Share of these categories in US imports from Russia; not permission to trade. USTR

How trade has changed

Billions of current USD · full calendar years

TotalUnited States to RussiaRussia to United States
Goods trade between United States and RussiaFull calendar year; goods; nominal USD; not seasonally adjusted. U.S. reporting. The total is calculated by adding exports and imports. Revisions may differ from rounding in other sources. Full data are in the table following the chart.01020304020212022202320242025

Full calendar year; goods; nominal USD; not seasonally adjusted. U.S. reporting. The total is calculated by adding exports and imports. Revisions may differ from rounding in other sources. U.S. Census Bureau · Accessed: 2026-10-06.

View chart figures
Millions of current USD
PeriodTotalUnited States to RussiaRussia to United States
202136,026.56,388.229,638.3
202216,092.51,655.414,437.1
20235,176.9606.14,570.8
20243,536.1528.33,007.8
20254,359.5582.73,776.8

How investment has changed

Billions of USD · Year-end stock · BEA estimates

United States in RussiaRussia in United States
How investment has changedDirect investment position at historical cost at each year-end. BEA estimates by immediate investment country or country of the foreign parent, not ultimate owner. Revisions, valuation changes and corporate transactions affect the stock: its change is not equivalent to the flow of new investment. A positive position does not establish new activity or permission to operate under sanctions. Figures are in the table following the chart.03.256.59.7513202020212022202320242025

Direct investment position at historical cost at each year-end. BEA estimates by immediate investment country or country of the foreign parent, not ultimate owner. Revisions, valuation changes and corporate transactions affect the stock: its change is not equivalent to the flow of new investment. A positive position does not establish new activity or permission to operate under sanctions.

View chart figures and sources
Millions of USD, historical cost; not an annual flow
PeriodUnited States in RussiaRussia in United States
202012,8743,227
202112,0544,010
20228,1353,753
20236,4023,741
20246,4543,865
20257,7593,888

BEA · U.S. investment abroad · Accessed: 2026-10-06 · BEA · foreign investment in the United States · Accessed: 2026-10-06

Connections between people

The political crisis also affects academic mobility. The official Fulbright Scholar Program page for Russia states that the programme is temporarily suspended. That suspension concerns a specific programme: it does not establish that all educational or family contacts are nonexistent. IIE / Fulbright Scholar Program

Residents, study and travel

Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.

Indicators of human connections between United States and Russia
IndicatorValuePeriod / source
Residents from United States living in Russia
Residents from Russia living in United States
Study and training: United States in Russia
Study and training: Russia in United StatesInternational students and OPT training4,9482024/25 · Open Doors
Academic stays: United States in RussiaStudy stays for academic credit02023/24 · Open Doors
Academic stays: Russia in United States
Travel: United States to Russia
Travel: Russia to United StatesCountry of residence; visits of one or more nights92,749arrivalsprovisional2025 · NTTO
What each figure measures

Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.

Study and training: Russia in United States
Students of Russian origin at US institutions; includes 891 OPT participants. These are not visas issued or all people of Russian nationality. 2024/25 · Open Doors
Academic stays: United States in Russia
An explicit zero published for 2023/24 in Open Doors. The N/A for 2024/25 is not converted to zero. Only reported study stays for academic credit, not all US students present in Russia. 2023/24 · Open Doors
Travel: Russia to United States
NTTO Annual!AC193. Arrivals, not unique people; visas and categories covered by the I-94 programme. Mexico incorporates the INEGI estimate. Data are subject to revision, particularly for Canada and Mexico; the air-only row is not used. 2025 · NTTO

Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.

Underlying ties

History, institutions and long-standing issues.

The economic rupture since 2014 and 2022

The United States imposed sanctions following Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and expanded restrictions after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The measures affected finance, investment, imports and exports; Russia responded with countermeasures. USTR also documents the withdrawal or reduction of activity of numerous US companies. [5]

Two issues with international implications

The conflict over Ukraine shapes trade, investment and European security; nuclear arms control affects global security. Arms dialogue may be necessary without political reconciliation. Likewise, a trade licence permits a limited activity without resolving differences over Ukraine. [5] [6]

Recent developments

Recent developments and latest available data · Reviewed: 2026-10-06

What remains of trade

Goods trade fell from 36 billion dollars in 2021 to 16.1 billion in 2022 and 3.5 billion in 2024, according to the US report on Russia and the WTO. For 2025, USTR's country page estimates 4.4 billion in goods and 5.9 billion when services are included. A recovery from such a small base does not restore the pre-invasion economic relationship. [4] [5]

Sanctions do not prohibit every transaction in the same way. OFAC maintains licences for specific activities; in June 2026 it clarified certain transactions related to civil nuclear energy. For a company, the product, counterparty and authorisation conditions matter, not just the destination country. [1] [2]

Shared nuclear risk

New START limited the strategic nuclear arsenals of both countries. Its expiry on 5 February 2026 left the two largest nuclear powers without that binding framework of limits, according to the UN Secretary-General. Arms control seeks to reduce escalation and miscalculation even between opposing governments. [6]

Financial networks and third countries

On 1 October 2026, the Treasury announced measures against the Russia-linked A7 network for its alleged role in evading sanctions on Iran. The case shows how restrictions reach transnational networks. The allegations belong to the US assessment and do not automatically extend to every Russian company. [3]

Milestones and consequences

  1. 2014

    Sanctions over Crimea

    The sanctions following Crimea begin an economic rupture that intensifies with the full-scale invasion of 2022. [5]

  2. 2022-02

    Expansion of restrictions

    The new restrictions affect finance, investment and goods; numerous US businesses reduce or abandon operations in Russia. [5]

  3. 2026-02-05

    New START expires

    The treaty limiting strategic nuclear arms ends. [6]

Sources and data

Periods and scope of the figures

The historical and 2025 figures come from different USTR publications and may incorporate revisions. The Russia–Ukraine war is not presented as a direct bilateral US–Russia war.

  1. Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions | Office of Foreign Assets Control

    OFAC · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-06

  2. Frequently Asked Questions - Recently Updated | Office of Foreign Assets Control

    OFAC · Institutional source · Document: 2026-06-11 · Accessed: 2026-10-06

  3. Operation Economic Outcast Takes Unprecedented Action Against Sanctions Evasion Network Used by Iran | U.S. Department of the Treasury

    US Department of the Treasury · Institutional source · Document: 2026-10-01 · Accessed: 2026-10-06

  4. US trade with Russia

    USTR · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-06

  5. 2025 report on Russia's WTO commitments

    USTR · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-06

  6. Statement on the expiry of New START

    United Nations Secretary-General · Institutional source · Document: 2026-02-05 · Accessed: 2026-10-06

Additional sources on products and human connections