Last week Kamitsuki Toyohisa, the Japanese Foreign Ministry counselor for European Affairs, said that the relationship between his country and Russia is "at its worst point in decades."

• February 25, 2011

Russia's decision to plough more than 400 billion pounds into upgrading its armed forces is motivated by a fear of China and radical Islam on its southern borders.

• February 25, 2011

The Russian foreign ministry on Monday summoned the US ambassador to Moscow over comments in which Washington reportedly backed the Japanese position in a simmering territorial row with Russia.

• February 22, 2011

A top US official visiting Tashkent on Friday praised Uzbekistan for opening up supply routes and building infrastructure for NATO operations in Afghanistan.

• February 19, 2011

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Thursday denied a report that Chinese and Russian companies had agreed to start a joint venture in islands that are disputed by Russia and Japan.

• February 18, 2011

The United States will continue to expand its civilian nuclear cooperation with Russia, including reactor development and security of radioactive materials, a top U.S. nuclear official told

• February 17, 2011

Russia and Britain engaged in a war of words over the people power protests across the Middle East as Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov blasted Western support for demonstrations as counterproductive.

• February 16, 2011

Iran’s hostile regime has been one of the chief beneficiaries of the political turmoil that has convulsed Egypt and Tunisia, which distracted the United States and other countries from the ongoing standoff over Iran’s nuclear program.

• February 15, 2011