Russian Nuclear Weapons: Past, Present, and Future

While the Cold War is long past, the importance of arms control in Russo-American rel tions and the related issue of nuclear weapons for Russia remain vital concerns. Indeed, without an appreciation of the multiple dimensions of the latter, progress in the former domain is inconceivable. With this in mind, the Strategic Studies Institute (SSI) is very pleased to present the following essays, which were presented at a conference at the National Defense University on June 28, 2010. These essays explore many, if not all, of the issues connected with Russia’s relatively greater reliance on nuclear weapons for its security. As such, they constitute an important contribution to the analysis of the Obama administration’s reset policy, Russo-American relations, Russian foreign and defense policy, and international security in both Europe and Asia. Additionally, questions concerning the approach taken by other nuclear power nations in reference to the arms control agenda provide a crucial backdrop for the progress toward curbing the proliferation of nuclear weapons, a long-standing central goal of U.S. security policy. We offer these essays to our readers in the belief that the information and analyses contained herein will strengthen our understanding of Russia’s extensive nuclear agenda and provide a deeper understanding of the many issues in international security connected with Russia and its nuclear posture.