Russian defense and arms control policy and its prospects after the presidential elections

Abstract

This article explores the possible scenarios in Russia’s arms control and disarmament policies after President Medvedev’s inauguration. The author analyzes the experience of the Putin presidency and the U.S.-Soviet agreements during the Cold War, to conclude that the problem of ABM systems and the “strategic stability” principle has become the central one. Therefore, Russia and the U.S. need to rethink their approaches and accept the new realities of their strategic relations in the 21st century.