A report on the foreign policy of the United States towards Russia Essay

A report on the foreign policy of the United States towards Russia - Essay Example Likewise, the need to analyze and improve Russo-American relations remains inevitable if global security, economic gains and political stability are to be realised in the West, Europe and the rest of the world. Brief history of the foreign relations of the US with Russia Russo-American relations started taking shape during World War I and II when the US and Russia fought alongside each other as Allied Powers, against Central Powers that had coalesced around the belligerent Germany. Prior to World War I and II, Russo-American relations had not taken a definitive shape, since America opted for the Doctrines of Non-Interference and Neutrality, wishing not to be drawn into the affairs and battles of Europe. The conclusion of World War II left the world with Russia and the US as two centers of power which were diametrically opposed to each other, on account of ideology. While Russia opted for socialism and communism as the way of politics and economics, America was committed to perpetuate democracy and capitalism throughout the world. This development sparked this Cold War which lasted from 1945 to 1990 (Brigham, 2010, 600). According to Butler (2011, 420), during this period, Russo-American relations were both belligerent and diplomatic. ... Zakaria (2012, 27) recounts that two decades after the fall of communism and the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia’s relations with America has been neither inimical nor friendlier. Despite the facing out of the Cold War confrontation, America and Russia have not nurtured sustainable bilateral cooperative relations. Russo-American relations only come to the fore when inevitable matters relating to climate change, international relations and nuclear nonproliferation need addressing (Nakajima, 2007, 450). Key Interests that the US has towards Russia Despite the US and Russia having well-known inimical relations especially at the height of the Cold War era, yet, these two countries harbour key interests in each other. Russo-American relations remain important in sustaining and effecting New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) which was signed in 2010 and ratified in 2011. The main essence of START is to assuage the quantity of strategic missile launchers by half, and to ef fect new and more effective inspection regimes. Currently, both President Obama and Putin are committed to global security issues such as nuclear non-proliferation and counterterrorism, in spite of the prevailing differences over Iran’s nuclear program and the BMD program. According to Christopher (2006, 329), America continues to bank on Russia’s military support in Kyrgyzstan, Manas Transit Center, given that Russia is interested in Western and American victory in Afghanistan and the successful withdrawal of American troops therefrom. This form of military support is very sacrosanct since Manas Transit Center is the only American facility in Central Asia and is therefore key