Foreign Policy Blogs

Wishful Thinking for Putin?

Today Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin announced that Russia would give up all of its nuclear weapons if other nations that held them did the same thing (ie. the US and others).  Putin was at a joint news conference with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier who had been urging Moscow to cultivate more positive relations with the US.  Likelihood of this taking place: next to impossible.  Nonetheless, Putin’s statement could be viewed as a gesture towards US President Obama who is coming to Russia in July to hold talks with Russian President Medvedev over nonproliferation issues, especially the START 1 Treaty.  Another reason for Putin’s statement might be to highlight Moscow’s concern over North Korea and its belligerent foreign policy.  Alternatively, Putin could be giving Washington a little jab in the side; by stating that Moscow is willing to give up its weapons, Russia is putting a foot up on US arms reduction talk.  Or, Putin could have been playing lip service to the idea of nonproliferation much the same way that politicians the world over do.

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Image Credit: US Dept. of Defense.

 

Author

Christopher Herbert

Christopher Herbert is an analyst of foreign affairs with specific expertise in US foreign policy, the Middle East and Asia. He is Director of Research for the Denver Research Group, has written for the Washington Post’s PostGlobal and Global Power Barometer and has served on projects for the United States Pacific Command and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. He has degrees from Yale University and Harvard University in Middle Eastern history and politics and speaks English, French, Arabic and Italian.

Area of Focus
US Foreign Policy; Middle East; Asia.

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