SEM: Arms Control, Nonproliferation & US/Russia Relations

The United States and Russia together possess around 93% of the world’s nuclear weapons. As a result, they occupy a place of central importance when it comes to nuclear nonproliferation and arms control. In the past, Washington and Moscow worked together on bi- and multilateral measures aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons. Today, however, the crisis in US-Russia relations has halted virtually all engagement between the two nuclear powers, including with respect to these critical issues.

This course will examine the history, present, and future of US-Russia relations as they relate to nuclear nonproliferation and arms control. It will focus in particular on examining the following questions: What does the crisis in US-Russia relations mean for the future of the nonproliferation regime? What threat perceptions and common interests do Washington and Moscow continue to share in this domain? What can we learn from the rich history of US-Soviet cooperation on nuclear issues that might help policymakers today? And what alternative options exist if cooperation can’t be restored?