Russia's Nuclear Weapons Dilemma: A Cooperative Approach to International Security in the 1990s
Abstract
Although the threat of an East/West confrontation has diminished, additional concerns have been raised by new and unforeseen dangers to European and global security. Both the Russian Federation and the West want to mitigate the potential dangers arising from rapidly disintegrating control of a nuclear arsenal scattered throughout the former Soviet republics. These concerns have sparked a wide range of Western responses, most notably the U.S. decision to assist Russia with the construction of a nuclear weapons storage facility near the Siberian city of Tomsk 7. By assessing the threat of nuclear proliferation and the United State's interaction with the Russian Federation in resolving this nuclear dilemma, one can gain some measure of confidence about Moscow's reliability as a partner in nuclear arms control, disarmament, and in staunching proliferation. This paper concludes by comparing the emergent framework of international cooperation between Russia and the United States to the traditional Realpolitik balance of power policies that characterized the Cold War. The conclusion notes that the international community has started to adopt a more global view toward problem solving, but that obstacles still exist that can either slow such progress or cause a return to more traditional attitudes as seen during the Cold War. Because of this uncertainty, we must continue to press forward with new ideas and discard Cold War prejudices.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1993
- Accession Number
- ADA266698
Entities
People
- Thomas A. Wuchte
Organizations
- University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign