Belfer Center experts comment on the Trump-Putin summit in Helsinki.

Rolf Mowatt-Larssen: "The US intelligence community can no longer trust the President’s judgment after he clearly sided with Russia in the Mueller investigation and the underlying intelligence information that formed the basis of the indictments of twelve Russian military intelligence officers."

Two conditions are clear as the U.S. and Russian Presidents prepare meet in Helsinki. First, U.S.-Russian relations are arguably at their lowest point since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. Second, both presidents have domestic realities that constrain their flexibility to achieve compromise in the many areas that have caused relations to falter.

As details are released about the upcoming summit between the U.S. and Russia, Intelligence Officers are expected to ramp up collection efforts in order to prep the field ahead of talks. The Cipher Brief's Russia experts Robert Dannenberg, Daniel Hoffman, Rolf Mowatt-Larssen, and Lt. Gen Kevin McGlaughlin give their take on the top five points to understand as the US prepares for the upcoming summit. 

Now is a time for all of us, whatever our political persuasion, to stand up for what we believe. Think. Speak. Act. But do not sit on the sidelines and fail to answer the call that this country was founded upon — liberty and justice for all. To paraphrase President Trump, all power to the people. Well, we the people must take the mantle! In this hour of greatest need that this nation has faced in its illustrious history, generations of Americans have risen to the challenge of determining who we are, as a people, not content to allow our rulers to define our principles and our values for us.

Donald Trump would have been an active target of Russian intelligence since the moment they laid eyes on him for two reasons that come straight from the classical espionage textbook: He has influence; and he is potentially vulnerable to various forms of compromise.

• U.S. and Russian experts ponder denuclearization of Korean Peninsula.
• Graham Allison on changing the odds of nuclear terrorism.
• William Tobey on insights on UNSCR 1540.
• Siegfried Hecker calls for revival of U.S.-Russian nuclear cooperation.

• U.S. experts debate whether russia can be a viable CT partner for America.
• Graham Allison on importance of prevention of nuclear terrorism.
• Russia’s National Guard is mulling drone defense at NPP.
• U.S. Nuclear Posture Review on countering nuclear terrorism.

Sophie Shevardnadze of RT interviews Rolf Mowatt-Larssen on the dangers of politicizing intelligence.

• Elbe Group members participate in Moscow conference.
• U.S. and Russian experts weigh in on North Korea’s nuclear missile program, call for preservation of the nuclear deal with Iran.
• NNSA Reports that some nuclear security cooperation with Russia is continuing.
• Saradzhyan testifies on potential for U.S.-Russian counter-terrorism cooperation.
• Bunn and Roth ponder effects of a nuclear terrorist bomb explosion.