Russia in Global Affairs

The missile defense issue must be resolved as part of general efforts to normalize U.S.-Russian relations, which have seriously deteriorated after the Five-Day War in the Caucasus. All attempts to solve the missile defense problem will fail unless Moscow and Washington achieve mutual understanding, predictability of their actions, and, finally, mutual confidence with regard to each other’s intentions.

The stagnation that has settled in the field of nuclear arms control must be overcome. The control regime must be preserved. For all its imperfections, it is much better for international security than the absence of nuclear arms control. Such control may be lost after 2012 if the leaders of Russia and the United States do not display political will.