دانشگاه تهران فصلنامه سیاست 1735-9678 56 1 2026 04 13 A Comparative Approach to U.S. Foreign Policy Toward Russia During the Trump and Biden Administrations (2016–2024) رویکرد مقایسه‌ای به سیاست‌خارجی آمریکا در قبال روسیه در دور‌ه‌های ترامپ و بایدن(2024-2016) 172 145 106479 10.22059/jpq.2026.389159.1008288 FA محمد جمشیدی استادیار گروه مطالعات منطقهای، دانشکده حقوق و علوم سیاسی، دانشگاه تهران، تهران، ایران. ساحل عبداللهی‌منش دانشجوی دکترای، گروه مطالعات منطقهای، دانشکده حقوق و علوم سیاسی، دانشگاه تهران، تهران، ایران. Journal Article 2025 01 29 Introduction The period from 2016 to 2024 demonstrated the pivotal role of U.S.-Russia relations in shaping American foreign policy. Central to this dynamic was the challenge of managing Russia's assertive behavior, particularly under Vladimir Putin, while safeguarding U.S. national interests. Although both the Trump and Biden administrations acknowledged Russia's strategic importance, their approaches diverged significantly. The Trump administration's approach was characterized by heterogeneous decision-making elements, emphasizing transactional diplomacy and short-term strategic gains. In contrast, the Biden administration pursued a policy grounded in the integration of hard and soft power resources, coupled with multilateral engagement, reflecting a structured and principle-based foreign policy orientation. Methodology The research employs a qualitative-comparative method, analyzing foreign policy behavior through speeches, official policy documents, strategic doctrines, and international responses. Its theoretical foundation is based on John Mearsheimer’s theory of offensive neorealism, which posits that great powers, operating within an anarchic international system, seek to maximize their relative power to ensure survival. This framework is applied to assess U.S. reactions to perceived Russian revisionism and aggression, particularly in Ukraine, and to examine the strategic rationale behind each administration’s choice of policy instruments. Key Findings and Results Trump Administration: Trump's approach toward Russia was dual-track in nature, oscillating between cooperative gestures—particularly in the context of Middle East security and counterterrorism—and selective pressure, such as in sanctions and arms control decisions. His transactional and business-oriented diplomacy often placed short-term national interests above alliance commitments and normative concerns. Notable instances include the U.S. withdrawal from the INF Treaty and a conditional posture toward supporting Ukraine, reflecting a decision-making process shaped by heterogeneous elements rather than a coherent strategic vision. Biden Administration: Biden's policy, particularly following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, was marked by a cohesive integration of hard and soft power tools within a multilateral framework. This included extensive coordination with NATO and European partners, the imposition of targeted sanctions, and the strengthening of deterrence through sustained military assistance to Ukraine. Prior to the invasion, Biden’s foreign policy emphasized democratic values, human rights, and the restoration of proactive U.S. global leadership. His decision-making reflects strategic coherence, balancing engagement, competition, and principled action to counter Russian assertiveness. Key Results Trump’s policy resulted in ambiguity in U.S.-Russia relations, reflecting a flexible yet inconsistent stance that relied on personal diplomacy with Putin and transactional engagement. Biden’s policy reinforced multilateralism, consolidated the transatlantic security architecture, and implemented comprehensive measures to counter Russian aggression, demonstrating the effectiveness of integrating hard and soft power in strategic decision-making. The contrasting approaches illustrate that U.S. foreign policy toward Russia has been shaped by underlying decision-making frameworks: one defined by heterogeneous, transactional elements under Trump, and the other characterized by an integrated, multilateral, and principle-based approach under Biden. Conclusion The comparative analysis highlights that U.S. foreign policy toward Russia cannot be fully understood without examining the interplay between leadership decision-making style, strategic priorities, and multilateral engagement. Trump’s heterogeneous decision-making produced flexible yet inconsistent outcomes, whereas Biden’s integrative approach fostered coordinated deterrence and enhanced strategic clarity. Understanding these contrasts provides critical insight into both the continuity and divergence of American foreign policy, particularly in managing great power competition and responding to global security challenges. روابط متقابل آمریکا و روسیه در فضای پس از جنگ سرد، از متغیرهای مؤثر بر سیاست و روابط بینالملل محسوب شده؛ به گونهای که فراز و نشیب الگوی تعاملی یاد شده بر سیاست خارجی دیگر بازیگران در سطوح منطقهای و بینالمللی نیز تأثیرگذار بوده. این چارچوب تعاملی در سالهای پساجنگ سرد نوعی الگوی تکراری از چرخه «مذاکره و همکاری، رقابت و تعارض» را تجربه کرده ‌است. به این معنا که گویی هر یک از کابینه‌های ایالات متحده بر منحنی از «بازبینی» روابط با مسکو تا «نارضایتی» از الگوی رفتاری آن حرکت کرده و همگام با این روند، در سایه برخی تحولات، بر ضرورت مواجهه با آن پافشاری داشته‌اند. تمرکز این پژوهش بر واکاوی جایگاه روسیه در سیاست خارجی آمریکا در بازه زمانی 2016 تا 2024 بوده و بر این پایه، پرسش اصلی این نوشتار عبارتست از اینکه: وجوه افتراق و اشتراک سیاست خارجی آمریکا در مورد روسیه در دوره‌های ترامپ و بایدن کدامند؟ در پاسخ، بر این فرضیه تأکید می‌شود که: وجه مشترک سیاست خارجی آمریکا در دوره‌های رهبری ترامپ و بایدن، اعمال سیاست مبتنی بر «مدیریت تنش» میان دو دولت بود، اما در دوره ترامپ سیاست خارجی مزبور از چالش «تصمیم‌گیری مبتنی بر عناصر ناهمگن» تأثیر می‌پذیرفت و در دوره بایدن متأثر از تهاجم روسیه به اوکراین، از «تصمیم‌گیری مبتنی بر انسجام بخشی میان منابع نرم و سخت قدرت و چندجانبه‌گرایی» جهت گرفت. روش تحقیق کیفی و سازوکار پژوهش نیز مقایسهای می‌باشد.

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