How Russia and US will come to the table

Pavel Koshkin, also a Senior Research Fellow at the institute, said the phone call "shows that there is a direct communication line between the two presidents". As for Biden's proposal to hold a summit in a third country, it proves that "Washington has to reckon with Moscow" and intends to maintain dialogue, he said.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin has taken Washington's proposal with a pinch of salt, saying it is too early to discuss the venue and date for the summit, Koshkin added.

Peskov said dialogue between Russia and the US was necessary, but the two sides have disagreements on many issues.

Koshkin said Moscow's cautious reaction to the summit can be attributed to the fragile situation between Russia and the US.

The crisis in Ukraine could worsen, leading to the summit being called off, so the Kremlin simultaneously maintains "a realistic and a pessimistic position", he said.

Koshkin added that by seeking to hold the summit, Washington acknowledges that Biden lost his temper during the interview in which he referred to Putin as a "killer".

"Russia is showing that it was offended and is trying to define a framework and determine who will play what role during these talks," he said.

To resolve the crisis in Russian-US ties, one summit would not be enough, calling for a joint effort by both countries' agencies, Koshkin added.

Political scientist Fedor Lukyanov described the latest developments as "a game of chicken". He said it is very important for Biden to make it clear that he is capable of acting in a tougher and more decisive manner than Barack Obama, whose words often failed to match his deeds.

Andrey Kortunov, director-general of the Russian International Affairs Council, said: "In any case, there will be a double-edged conversation. However, it is certainly better to put the cards on the table right away and clarify as to where the two countries can work together under the Biden administration and where they can't."