Recent Developments in Russia's Nuclear Posture
Since 2008, the Russian government has undertaken an initiative to overhaul its conventional armed forces, with a target completion date of 2020.
Russia
Taking stock of the Ukraine crisis’ impact on the prospects for nuclear disarmament in Europe and wider arms control processes.
The crisis in Ukraine and its peculiar nuclear dimension has come to epitomise the features of the strategic politics in Europe.
Protecting the Baltics without sliding into conflict
In the old Cold War in Europe, there was only one serious flashpoint, one place where a dangerous confrontation between Western and Russian forces was likely, and that was Berlin. In today’s confrontation there are many, stretching from the Caucuses to the Baltic Sea.
Can NATO be saved from strategic obscurity?
Despite a renewed sense of purpose with a change in leadership and the crisis in Ukraine, the alliance continues to court its own irrelevancy.
North Korea-Russia Rapprochement: A Setback for a Non-Nuclear Korea?
Through the second half of the twentieth century, North Korea’s communist regime managed to survive in large part thanks to the backing of its key ally, the USSR. Post-Cold War Russia later modified its position toward its old Cold War ally, and bilateral relations became damaged when the then-USSR established diplomatic ties with South Korea in 1990.
NATO-Russia: Time for a change in direction
NATO heads of state meet in Newport, south Wales for their summit at the end of this week. The relationship with Russia will dominate the agenda—the only question being how far member states are openly willing to go to face down Moscow in the conflict over Ukraine.
TacNukes News No. 10
TacNukes News summarizes recent developments and resources covering tactical nuclear weapons (TNW) in Europe. In this edition of TacNukes News, the political and security environment relevant to making progress on tactical nuclear weapons arms control continued to deteriorate as Russia-U.S. relations worsened and the Ukraine crisis showed no signs of winding down.
NATO: Slipping Into Confrontation
NATO defense ministers met in Brussels to discuss the Afghanistan withdrawal and Russia’s actions in Crimea and Ukraine. There are calls for stronger security assurances within the alliance, especially from countries near Russia. President Obama has pledged increased US military presence in Europe. However, NATO’s role remains focused on military rather than cooperative security strategies, which heightens tensions with Russia. This approach risks moving towards a competitive relationship rather than fostering mutual security.