On July 29, CSWMD hosted a Spotlight Webinar discussion on Negotiating Next Steps on Arms Control with Putin’s Russia with Deputy Director, Center for Global Security Research (CGSR) Michael Albertson. This talk provided some concrete recommendations on how to tackle some of these challenges.
Bilateral strategic arms control with Russia is a complicated and relevant topic which combines historical, technical, legal, psychological, and cultural dimensions. The extension of New START provided a five-year respite for bilateral strategic arms control, and the Biden-Putin summit intimated that discussions could begin on what to do next. There is, however, the realization of the difficulties which must be overcome in the next five years to negotiate a follow-on agreement: the place of bilateral strategic arms control in an increasingly multipolar and multidomain strategic landscape, the challenging history of the last 20 years of the U.S.-Russian bilateral relationship, Putin’s thinking on arms control and strategic stability, and a difficult political environment for the ratification of legally binding agreements.
Moderated by Sarah Jacobs Gamberini, Policy Fellow, CSWMD.