US-Russia Relations Strained
European Missile Defense System Plans Cause Bush, Putin Disagreement
Russia is threatened by U.S. plans to create a new missile defense system in Eastern Europe. Could this be the start of a new Cold War between the two countries?
Attempting to counter potential nuclear threats from North Korea and Iran, the United States plans to place 10 interceptor missiles in Poland and an associated radar installation in the Czech Republic. Plans are for the radar system to be installed in the Czech Republic in 2011 and the missiles installed in Poland between 2011 and 2013. Objecting to this plan, the Russian government feels this system is a possible threat to their own defenses and the radar could be used to spy on them. U.S. President Bush counters, saying that the missile defense system could not do any harm to Russian missiles, and the radar would be too small to track Russian missiles effectively.
Russian Response to Missile Defense System Plans
At first, Russian president Vladimir Putin reacted harshly and threatened to target Europe with nuclear ballistic or cruise missiles if this missile defense system is built. The threat includes deploying missiles in Kaliningrad, a strategic site bordering Poland and Lithuania in Russia's extreme west.
Putin has since softened his stance and has offered several alternatives to the U.S. plan. First, he offered the United States use of a Russian-rented radar site in Azerbaijan, bordering Iran. He then offered use of a radar site in southern Russia and offered to work with the United States and European countries on a joint defense system. Recently, Putin has also proposed placing the missile defense shield under the authority of the NATO-Russia Council, and setting up joint Russia-NATO early warning centers in Moscow and Brussels.
Russian Viewpoint on US Defense in Europe
Whatever the solution, Putin is still opposed to the deployments in Poland and the Czech Republic. Russia is concerned because the United States withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in 2001, so no international agreements cover the current plan. The ABM treaty limited US and Russian missile defenses to one site each. The Russians believe that the U.S., which no longer has an active defense system, wants the Europe location to be its defense.
Poland and Czech Republic Voice Concerns
Ultimately, the two sides do agree on common threats (such as terrorism), but disagree on how to counter and prevent them. The plan is not finalized, however, as the Czech government is still negotiating conditions such as guarantees that this system is not directed at Russia, and that it will also not affect Czech sovereignty. Poland is also seeking further discussions.
Future Considerations for US-Russia Relations
Will this situation become the start of a new Cold War? It appears that we are now in a period of mistrust between the United States and Russia, but it would be a stretch to call it a Cold War. Making the situation more uncertain is that President Putin leaves office in the spring of 2008, and President Bush leaves office in January 2009. Much will depend on how their successors deal with this situation.
References
Crawley, Vince. "Missile Defense System Could Include NATO, Russia's Putin Says." USINFO. July 2, 2007.
Grier, Peter. "Obstacles ahead for missile defense." Christian Science Monitor. July 9, 2007.
