Russian President Dmitri Medvedev's recent announcement that Russia will be upgrading its military forces in the face of Western encroachment (among other reasons) underscores the tenuousness of US-Russian relations. Despite enthusiasm shown by both sides for strengthening ties under President Obama, Washington and Moscow have very different, often conflicting, strategic interests.
Strategic Dialogues
US-India Nuclear Cooperation Agreement: What comes next?
On October 1, 2008 the US Congress passed the US-India Nuclear Cooperation Agreement. The long anticipated agreement would allow US companies to trade nuclear technology, information, and material to India. It has faced several hurdles, including first passing the US Congress in 2006, the Indian Parliament in July, the IAEA Board of Governors in August, and the Nuclear Suppliers Group in September. Controversy surrounds the agreement because, India is not an established member of the nonproliferation regime and it detonated nuclear devices in 1998.
Russian resurgence and diplomacy
Whether the Russian operation against Georgia was premeditated or not, the leadership has used it effectively to strengthen nationalistic support within the country, and to challenge the view domestically and internationally of expanding, unbridled US dominance.
Putting some sparkle into the Evian G-8 summit: Cooperative threat reduction
Much of threat reduction agenda remains to be completed, particularly in Russia, to prevent proliferation of nuclear materials
Official UK government position on missile defense
Britain confirms plans to cooperate with US missile defense system
European governments’ official positions on missile defense
Where individual countries stand on missile defense
Bush-Putin summit fails to bury the Cold War
Concerns remain over Russia's tactical nuclear weapons after SORT summit in 2002
PrepCom 2002: Avoiding more missed steps
Bush administration unilateral steps could hinder disarmament NPT progress