Carnegie Moscow Center
President Obama faces domestic opposition to ratifying the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). Russia can take steps to help the U.S. supporters of the CTBT overcome that resistance.
President Obama spoke brilliantly and powerfully at Russia's New Economic School during his Moscow trip. Unfortunately, few Russians heard his speech or got more than a glimpse of the American president on the television news.
U.S. President Barack Obama made a good start at resetting the relationship with Russia in his first visit to Moscow. He now has to ensure that the American side follows-up on his openings and insist that his colleague in Moscow does the same.
The agreements reached between U.S. President Obama and Russian President Medvedev at the U.S.-Russia summit showcased a great deal of positive rhetoric, but they are unlikely to lead to a substantial improvement in overall relations.
The economic crisis may have exacerbated many of the vulnerabilities in Russia's economy, but it stopped the deterioration of U.S.-Russian relations, which were the lowest they had been in twenty-five years.
As the Obama administration seeks a complete reset of the U.S.-Russia relationship, progress on nuclear weapons must still be the top priority.
Obama’s message in Moscow needs to translate his visionary pragmatism into a language that will resonate with Russians.
Pushing the "reset button" on U.S.-Russia relations will be impossible if a dramatic curtailment of Russian state resources produces harder political crackdowns, economic nationalism, and isolationism.
The United States should pursue a joint missile defense system to improve long-term relations with Russia.
President Obama’s visit to Moscow on July 6-8 is likely to have more influence on world politics than most regular state visits. The tone for U.S. policy towards Russia will be set depending on who he meets with and the rhetoric he uses during this trip.