

The global financial crisis and leadership changes in both Russia and the United States have led the bilateral relationship to an important juncture. Engagement should focus on mutual areas of economic and security interest.

States will not abolish nuclear weapons if they are not highly confident that everyone will comply with key disarmament agreements and nonproliferation rules.

Alexei Arbatov, scholar-in-residence at the Carnegie Moscow Center, gave a talk on the Putin legacy and the likely trajectory of his successor, Dmitry Medvedev. Ambassador James F. Collins, director of the Russia and Eurasia Program, moderated the event.