Columbia International Affairs Online: Policy Briefs

CIAO DATE: 07/2009

Pressing the "Reset Button" on US-Russia Relations

Anders Aslund, Andrew Kuchins

March 2009

Peterson Institute for International Economics

Abstract

Whither Russia? Russia’s economic circumstances as well as its articulated goals hold the answer to this eternal question. Drawing on our analysis in the forthcoming book The Russia Balance Sheet, we outline here a policy approach for the Barack Obama administration. We believe our views reflect to some degree an emerging consensus for the new administration’s Russia policy. Russia is important for US foreign policy in many ways. The United States needs a more constructive relationship with Russia to address many core global security issues including nuclear security and nonproliferation, terrorism, energy, and climate change.