The US and Russia have agreed to forge “close co-operation” on climate change, in the first positive sign of a potential easing of tensions between the two countries since a high-stakes presidential summit last month.

John Kerry, the White House’s special climate envoy, held talks in Moscow on Monday and pledged to “move together” with the Kremlin ahead of crunch global climate meetings in Glasgow this November.

Climate change is one of the few areas where there is hope of enhanced collaboration between Moscow and Washington. It is seen as a promising testing ground for a first step in improving wider ties, which are riven with distrust over cyber warfare, allegations of election meddling and years of tit-for-tat sanctions that have severed many economic ties.