Russia Still Matters: Strategic Challenges and Opportunities for the Obama Administration

Key Points

Bilateral relations will assume a lower priority for Washington and Moscow in the next 4 years, but there are important areas where cooperation is possible, and may prove necessary, despite the growing “values gap.”
Pressing developments, interests, and disagreements will necessitate U.S.-Russian coordination on Syria, Afghanistan, the Iranian nuclear file, and missile defense in Europe in the near term.
Each country’s “pivot” toward the Asia-Pacific region, interests in security and development of the Arctic, and desire to stimulate bilateral trade and investment will be on a longer fuse.
Allaying Russian concerns over the European Phased Adaptive Approach through transparency measures and technical cooperation will influence any future negotiations on strategic weapons reductions.

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