The Degradation of the Russian-American Arms Control System in the Beginning of the 21st Century

Abstract

The Russian-American arms control system is in danger of extinction. The culprit according to the Russian academic environment is Washington. This is true, however, from the point of view of political realism, the reasons why the United States decided to withdraw from the ABM Treaty and the INF Treaty, as well as it is in no hurry to extend START III, seem quite natural. The article touches upon these reasons and concludes that none of the three aforementioned treaties meet the modern requirements, and the current state of Russian-American relations is unlikely to allow a constructive dialogue in the near future to achieve mutually beneficial agreements. The dilemma of China, which is not burdened with such agreements, is also considered separately as a state without which it is no longer possible to imagine the modern world order.