Russia in Global Affairs

There is no point expecting that Russia will be prepared to pay the price for the Trump administration’s actions on the JCPOA that have not only jeopardized the existence of that deal but also wrought damage to Russian interests.

With sufficient political will, it would be possible to secure an extension of the New START treaty even after the US presidential inauguration on January 20, 2021. Russia and the US have a wealth of experience of interaction on nuclear-related topics, including the conclusion and extension of bilateral agreements in that area. They also possess adequate diplomatic and technological instruments that, with sufficient political will in both capitals, can help them to achieve a shared goal under time-pressing circumstances.

Russia’s negative image in nuclear security, export controls and nonproliferation dates back to the early 1990s; it is based on a combination of real problems that existed at the time and Hollywood-like stories in the media. Until recently, that image has often stood in the way of practical contacts and politicized nuclear energy cooperation between Russia and the United States.