American Committee for US-Russia Accord

A discussion on the new US ICBM nuclear missile, or Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) with Bulletin contributing editor Elisabeth Eaves and Arms Control Association chairman Thomas Countryman. Moderated by The Nation’s Katrina vanden Heuvel.

President Joe Biden entered office with a deep knowledge of the dangers of nuclear weapons and the arms race. During the campaign, he said the United States “does not need new nuclear weapons” and “will work to maintain a strong, credible deterrent while reducing our reliance and excessive expenditure on nuclear weapons.”

The future of U.S.-Russia relations is largely America’s choice. If the United States cannot settle for anything short of unquestioned hegemony, Russia will indubitably prove a serious impediment, prepared to challenge it.

It just may be that a truly massive demonstration, particularly in Moscow, might force Putin to engage the opposition. However, for this to be achieved it would be good if such protests were preceded by a detailed proposal from the opposition on what kinds of compromises they would prefer to discuss.

President Joe Biden has now stated several times that America is “back at the table” internationally, and will be “leading with diplomacy” in an effort to “earn back our position of trusted leadership.” But our civilian institutions are not ready for the challenge of demilitarizing U.S. foreign policy and engaging in a dramatically different world.

Intra-NATO tensions were worsening for nearly two decades before Trump took office.

Ambassador John Evans’ learned and calm perspective on Russia, the war in the Caucasus, and U.S. foreign policy altogether is sorely needed, especially as the fissure between Russia and the West grows ever larger.

This September’s Duma elections will be decisive for Putin’s re-election in 2024.

Conventional wisdom generally has it that Kennan’s assessment of the Soviet government was accurate.  But was it?  And if it wasn’t accurate, why has it been treated as a brilliant analysis that underpinned a policy still characterized as an inevitable necessity?

One of Macron’s priorities has been to push for a strengthening of the EU and European defence. The French president has indeed not hidden his strong Gaullist heritage, and Trump’s presidency and his attempt to weaken NATO was only a reminder that the EU cannot simply rely on others when it comes to its defence.