Moscow ? Russia and the United States agreed Tuesday that upcoming political campaigns in the two countries must not be allowed to damage ties between them, as officials on both sides sought to ease tensions that have built in recent months.

The pledges of a more cooperative spirit came as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had talks here with her Russian counterpart Sergei V. Lavrov and Russian President Vladimir V. Putin.

“Condoleezza Rice stressed, and that was supported by President Putin, that our relationship must not become hostage to the election campaigns getting started in our two countries,” said Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov. “That is our common goal.”

Russia will hold parliamentary elections in December and a presidential election in March. The U.S. will go to the polls to elect a new president and members of Congress in November 2008.

Relations between the two nations have been strained in particular by U.S. plans to install an antimissile system in Eastern Europe. The U.S. says it is needed to defend Europe and North America, citing the possibility of missile attacks by Iran. Moscow has expressed fears it is a step toward a global missile defense system aimed at devaluing Russia’s and China’s nuclear deterrents.

While there was no sign that either side had shifted on the missile defense issue, Rice and Lavrov said their nations were cooperating in many areas and wanted to build a better partnership.