“We really hope and have actual expectation that the meeting between you and our president will lead to concrete results,” Kissinger told Medvedev during Friday’s meeting.

Medvedev also expressed optimism that his meeting with Obama will not be “just an introduction”, but rather “a comprehensive exchange of views on the entire agenda of Russian-American relations and on all crucial topics on the international agenda”.

This is not the only warming signal in Russo-American relations recently.

A high-level U.S. commission of political experts issued a report saying that Washington should start listening to Moscow.

And on Thursday, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator John Kerry called for a hearing on U.S.-Russia relations in the Senate.

“Our differences are real, but so too is our potential to co-operate and even lead together on global challenges. From Iran’s nuclear programme to human rights in Burma to our presence in Afghanistan, there is scarcely an issue of global importance which would not benefit from greater co-operation with Russia. Our challenge will be to ensure that, to the extent possible, we enlist Russia to act not just as a great power but also as a global partner,” Kerry said.

Frequent guest

Henry Kissinger, 85, seems to be a frequent guest in the Kremlin of late.

He came to Moscow three times is 2008: in May, June, and December.

This is already his second visit in 2009, following a secret stopover in February.

In his current visit, prior to meeting Medvedev on Friday, Kissinger spoke with Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.