苏联解体近二十年来，俄罗斯与美国的关系经历了几次较大的波动，而每次波动都伴随着俄罗斯对自己国家身份定位的变化。叶利钦时期的俄罗斯没能融入西方，普京与美国在反恐行动中的合作也没能使其成为西方的一部分。俄罗斯东西方身份定位的不断摇摆和对大国身份一味地过度追求，对其国家利益建构和对外战略选择产生了重大影响，并在一定程度上阻碍了俄美关系良性互动的形成。同时，美国对俄罗斯身份定位的认同与否，也影响着俄美关系。

During the nearly two decades after the collapse of the USSR, Russia-U.S. relations have experienced several wide fluctuations. And all the fluctuations have been partially influenced by the change of Russia’s construction of its own identity. Russia has not been able to be integrated into the ‘West’ during the period of Yeltsin, and Putin’s co-operation with the U.S. against the ‘terrorism’ has not led the West to accept Russia as one of its own. Both Russia’s vibration in its national identity of West-oriented or East-oriented and its excessive pursuit for the international status of great power, have influenced a lot on Russia’s construction for its national interests and its choice for foreign strategies, and to a certain extent may block the positive interaction between Russia and U.S.. Besides, America’s attitude toward Russia’s construction of its own identity will impact on the Russia-U.S. relations as well.