Prospects for U.S.-Russian Nonproliferation Cooperation Under Bush and Putin

Abstract

Following September 11, 2001, Presidents Bush and Putin correctly identified the possibility of nuclear weapons and fissile material falling into hostile hands as an urgent national security threat to both the United States and Russia, pledging a partnership to deal with this threat.  Given the significant amount of fissile material that remains inadequately secured in Russia, cooperation with Russia is a necessity if we are to keep the most dangerous weapons out of the most dangerous hands.

Although the groundwork for cooperation has been laid, serious obstacles remain. This paper identifies nine disagreements preventing more comprehensive U.S.-Russian nonproliferation cooperation. Unresolved, disputes over U.S. access to Russian sites, Russian cooperation with Iran, and human rights issues continue to handicap this partnership. Furthermore, the United States and Russia must tackle the issue of tactical nuclear weapons to ensure that the weapons most vulnerable to theft are secured. Only through cooperation and a dedication to resolving these disputes can the threat of nuclear terrorism be reduced.