MOSCOW, September 5. /TASS/. Russia and the United States may shift their focus to other urgent issues, such as limiting strategic nuclear weapons, if progress is made regarding Ukraine, Vladimir Batyuk, the lead researcher at the Military-Political Studies Department of the Institute of the US and Canada Studies under the Russian Academy of Sciences, told TASS.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) that he had an agreement with US President Donald Trump to call each other when necessary.

"This dialogue will largely depend on how the situation around Ukraine unfolds. If we achieve significant progress on this front, new opportunities could open up in Russian-American relations, including discussions on limiting strategic nuclear arsenals," Batyuk explained.

He emphasized that the prospects for dialogue also hinge on whether NATO countries will exploit the Ukraine situation to advance closer to Russia's borders, potentially deploying nuclear weapons delivery systems. The expert also noted that Trump appears to be adopting a wait-and-see approach for now.

"That’s quite possible. It aligns with American interests. Ukraine has little military, political, or economic significance for the United States. The US can instead shift this issue onto the shoulders of European NATO allies," Batyuk added.