UPCOMING EVENT
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
3:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Washington, DC
The issue of strategic nuclear arms reductions now tops the U.S.-Russia agenda, particularly as the countries strive to conclude a new nuclear arms agreement to replace the Strategic Arms Reductions Treaty, which expires on December 5. On November 24, the Center on the United States and Europe at Brookings will host Ambassador Mamedov for a conversation on the experiences and lessons learned from U.S.-Russian arms control efforts in the 1990s. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Brent Scowcroft, Joseph Nye, Nicholas Burns and Strobe Talbott, October 13, 2009, Politico
Ten years ago, the U.S. Senate rejected the comprehensive test ban treaty (CTBT), setting back efforts to reduce the world's stockpiles of nuclear weapons. Brent Scowcroft, Joseph Nye, Nicholas Burns and Strobe Talbott offer the Obama administration their counsel on how to build support for a revised CTBT and a new strategic arms reduction treaty with Russia. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Steven Pifer, October 12, 2009, The Brookings Institution
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visits Moscow this week to meet with her counterpart, Foreign Minister Lavrov. Steven Pifer previews the major issues at the top of their agenda: arms control, the broader Middle East and the work of the U.S.-Russia presidential commission. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Steven Pifer, September 28, 2009, Current History
President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev both see a follow-on agreement to the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty as a top priority in U.S.-Russia relations. Steven Pifer writes that while a post-START treaty should not pose any major obstacles, complex nuclear issues are likely to make this the last “easy” arms control agreement between Washington and Moscow. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Strobe Talbott, September 20, 2009, Financial Times
President Obama's decision to rethink and revamp the plan for Poland-based defenses against Iranian missiles was met with some criticism at home and in Eastern Europe for giving too much to Russia. However, argues Brookings President Strobe Talbott, the new strategy is a pragmatic step to counter Iran's real short-range missile threat, strengthens the transatlantic alliance, and better serves the goals of U.S.-Russian strategic arms reduction. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Steven Pifer, June 24, 2009, RIA Novosti
Steven Pifer looks toward President Obama's July visit to Moscow where he will meet with President Medvedev of Russia. Pifer outlines three outcomes—including a successor to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty—the U.S. should hope for from the talks. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Bruce Riedel, May 30, 2009, Wall Street Journal
Battles between the Pakistani army, al Qaeda and the Taliban are the latest in a deadly struggle for nuclear-armed Pakistan. Bruce Riedel assesses the history of Pakistan's nuclear program as well as the danger of extremists gaining access to weapons should Pakistan fall into the wrong hands. Read More
PAST EVENT
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
12:30 PM to 01:30 PM
Washington, DC
In May, U.S. and Russian officials began meetings in Moscow to discuss cutting stockpiles of nuclear weapons. To assesses the considerations of both the United States and Russia and to offer suggestions for building a new framework to reduce strategic arsenals, Brookings expert Steven Pifer and Senior Politico Editor Fred Barbash took questions in this week’s edition of the Scouting Report. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Carlos Pascual and Steven Pifer, May 07, 2009, The Brookings Institution
The spread of nuclear weapons is one of the deadliest threats to the human race, and over 30 countries have declared intent to develop nuclear programs. In the wake of a meeting between Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov of Russia, Carlos Pascual and Steven Pifer argue that both countries must breathe new life into the Non-Proliferation Treaty regime to strengthen firewalls against proliferation and curtail weaponization. Read More
PAST EVENT
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Washington, DC
Nuclear arms control has returned to the top of the U.S.-Russia agenda. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev recently agreed to work out a new agreement to reduce strategic offensive arms, part of a process aimed ultimately at a nuclear-free world. On May 6, the Center on the United States and Europe at Brookings hosted a discussion on the role of nuclear arms control in U.S.-Russia relations and its challenges. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Steven Pifer, May 06, 2009, The Brookings Institution
In April, President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announced they would work on a new agreement to limit offensive arms before the START treaty expires in December. On Monday, the first round of talks on a new strategic arms reduction treaty begin in Moscow. Steven Pifer assesses the considerations of both countries and offers suggestions for building a new framework to reduce strategic arsenals. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Sun-won Park, April 06, 2009, The Brookings Institution
Seeking to demonstrate its nuclear deterrent and win negotiating points from the United States and others, North Korea launched a long-range ballistic missile on April 5, 2009. CNAPS Visiting Fellow Sun-won Park writes that, contrary to Pyongyang’s calculations, this incident does not demonstrate North Korea’s strength or self-reliance but should be perceived as a tactical and strategic failure. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Sun-won Park, March 23, 2009, The Brookings Institution
North Korea recently announced plans to launch a long-range missile in early April. CNAPS Visiting Fellow Sun-won Park analyzes the different motivations behind Pyongyang’s plans for an April launch, concludes that there is a window of opportunity for American diplomacy to induce North Korea to postpone or cancel it, and describes steps that may lead to this result. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Steven Pifer, February 25, 2009, House Committee on Foreign Affairs
As the Bush administration came to a close, U.S.-Russian relations had fallen to their lowest point since the collapse of the Soviet Union. In testimony before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Steven Pifer discussed how the Obama administration can engage Russia to meet challenges such as controlling nuclear materials, pressing Iran to forgo nuclear arms, maintaining access to Afghanistan, and countering international terrorism. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Moeed Yusuf, January 13, 2009, The Brookings Institution
Over the past six decades, concerns about nuclear proliferation have shifted from the Cold War paradigm to that of the new millennium—nuclear threats from non-state actors, terrorist organizations and the developing world. Moeed Yusuf, a former Brookings guest scholar, reviews attempts by intelligence communities and independent experts to predict the future of nuclear landscape since the beginning of the Cold War. What can current policy-makers learn from past predictions as they seek to generate policies addressing future proliferation trends? Read More