Steering US relations with Russia has remained one of the key challenges as well as priorities for any US administration. The escalation in the Ukraine crisis in the spring of 2021 has put the US and Russia at odds when Moscow deployed military forces near Ukraine and demanded security guarantees from the US and NATO along with proposing a draft agreement regarding US-Russia and NATO-Russia agreements encapsulating its demands.[1] While policy pundits on both sides express a desire for change, attempts to reset the relationship have not yielded any results. In wake of the Russian military operation against the Ukraine and the stalemate in diplomatic talks between both the capitals, the world is again walking on a tightrope whilst dealing with major power rivalry and bloc formations that are challenging the international order established after World War II. Moreover, diverging interests and power politics have accentuated the vulnerabilities of the European region.
Conflict at a Glance:
With its increased geopolitical role and active engagement in key global issues, and enormous nuclear arsenal, Russia is the only foreign state that represents a serious and potent threat to the United States, with a high risk factor for conflict. And yet, the relationship between Washington and Moscow is in its worst state in decades. Russia opposes NATO bases near its borders and has asked for written guarantees that NATO does not expand eastwards. With this rationale, Russia considers its recent military invasion defensive rather than offensive.
