President Obama’s trip to Russia this week was an important public diplomacy opportunity, a chance to strengthen a bilateral relationship that has faltered in recent years, and is initially being judged a success, the Washington Post reported:

Sergei Rogov, director of the Institute for the U.S. and Canadian Studies, said Obama's visit was more successful than most in Russia had expected. Obama "made all the right sounds in a very respectful way" and did much to reduce mistrust in Moscow, he said.

"It's not only a change in tone. It was a change in substance," he added. "The new agenda is much broader than ever."