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.
2009
Politics around US tactical nuclear weapons in European host states
Though there is growing pressure on the US and NATO member states for the end of nuclear sharing, governments are reluctant to appear to challenge the relevance of the Alliance. The NATO Strategic Concept review is an opportunity to come up with more valuable measures that demonstrate commitment.