Finding a common foe in Taliban and al-Qaida in Afghanistan, the United States and Russia have agreed to work together to win the war
against terrorism in the country as well as jointly address issues of drug trafficking and poppy production.

The decision followed a meeting between the US President Barack Obama, who is on a visit to Moscow, and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev.

The two countries also signed an agreement, enabling America to transport its military personnel and equipment across Russia to support American and Coalition forces in conflict torn Afghanistan.

Signed by Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov and undersecretary of state William Burns, the agreement will permit 4,500 US flights per year, and the new transit routes will save the US up to $133 million annually in fuel, maintenance and other transportation costs.

This deal is free of any air navigation charges, the White House said in a fact sheet.

Noting the importance of stepping up the international community's efforts to help stabilise Afghanistan, the two presidents in a joint statement reaffirmed their commitment towards the common fight against terrorism, armed extremism, and illegal drug trafficking in that country.