The real strength of Russia and China’s approaches towards the Middle East, says Stephen Walt, is their willingness to have healthy diplomatic relations with all nations in the region, in contrast to the American adherence to unconditional alliances and seemingly permanent enmities.
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: The American public supports New START. Will the Trump administration?
For anyone who thought endorsing arms control was controversial or partisan, a recent survey shows impressive public support for extending the New START treaty, which is otherwise set to expire in 2021.
Asia Times: Crisis offers chance to reset US, Russia relations
The current crisis may represent an opportunity for the United States and Russia to “reset” their diplomatic relations
Michael Kimmage: A Post-Soviet “War and Peace”
What Tolstoy’s Masterwork Explains About Putin’s Foreign Policy.
Ed Lozansky: The world after the pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic is in the full swing around the globe and no one can predict when it will be over or at least largely contained. We can only hope and pray that this happens sooner rather than later.
Tony Wood: Putin Suffers Setback in Moscow Election, But Remains Secure Nonetheless
In what many analysts saw as a test for Vladimir Putin’s rule, the Moscow election was a setback of sorts, but the opposition’s orientation towards capitalism undermines its own anti-corruption platform, says Tony Wood.
Katrina vanden Heuvel: What Progressives Can Offer Biden on Foreign Policy
The START Treaty, the last remaining limit on the arms race, expires next February. Democrats could unify behind renewing the new START agreement, and also embrace Elizabeth Warren’s call for a “no first use” declaration of nuclear weapons, helping to move the nuclear confrontation off hair-trigger status.
Paul Robinson: More on Election Meddling….
You may have missed it in the all the excitement around the world, but Canada has a general election coming up in October.
Erik Wemple: The Steele dossier just sustained another body blow. What do CNN and MSNBC have to say?
Christopher Steele told Fusion GPS, the research firm that commissioned his work, that at least 70 percent of the claims in the dossier are accurate. An obvious question arises from that assertion: Which ones?
Patrick Lawrence: The Establishment is Changing its Tune on Russia
Russophobic rhetoric persists in Washington, but a counter-argument is emerging.
The National Interest: Is NATO Still Necessary?
There will inevitably be other global challenges that countries will face together over time. However, NATO at seventy is not the instrument to address them.
Ted Snider: Demythologizing the Roots of the New Cold War
Most histories of the cold war begin at the dawn of the post World War II period. But the history of U.S-U.S.S.R. animosity starts long before that: it starts as soon as possible, and it was hot long before it turned cold.
Mikhail Gorbachev: When The Pandemic Is Over, The World Must Come Together
During the first months of this year, we have seen once again how fragile is our global world, how great the danger of sliding into chaos. The COVID-19 pandemic is facing all countries with a common threat, and no country can cope with it alone.
Nikolas K. Gvosdev: The New Problems with Putin’s Old Political System
There remains no mechanism for selecting a successor to Vladimir Putin or for ensuring that the current system can perpetuate itself through this middle of the twenty-first century.
AP: US-Russian space crew lands safely in Kazakhstan
A U.S.-Russian crew landed safely Friday in the steppes of Kazakhstan following a stint on the International Space Station and was greeted with extra precautions due to the coronavirus.
Daniel Larison: Good Riddance, Bolton
It took far too long to happen, but Bolton’s firing is undeniably good news.
William Hartung and Ben Freeman: How the Military-Industrial Complex Is Using the Coronavirus
Arms industry lobbyists are addressing this pandemic and preparing for the next by pushing weapons sales.
Tucker: John Bolton refuses to acknowledge his mistakes
Nor have Leftists who spent years slandering RussiaGate skeptics…
Reuters: France’s Macron says he hopes to secure Putin backing for UN truce plea
French President Emmanuel Macron said he has secured the agreement of three of the five permanent members of the United Nations’ Security Council to back a call by the UN for a global ceasefire so the world can focus on the coronavirus epidemic.
The Guardian: Trump offers to join French to resolve Russia-Ukraine crisis
US president hails Sunday’s Russia-Ukraine prisoner swap and pledges support for Normandy format talks.