Arms control in Russia today

Abstract

Prospects for continued arms control and disarmament agreement between Russia and the United States are now problematic. Internally, Russia has been unable to define a coherent foreign and military policy, and the economic situation remains extremely difficult. The policy‐making process can work, however, as demonstrated by the Duma's ratification of the Chemical Weapon Convention On the other hand, START II has been subject to the vagaries of domestic politics and isses related to ABM treaty revision. On March 22, 1999, President Yeltsin submitted the Draft Law on START II ratification, revised in close cooperation between the parliament and the government. But the NATO air campaign against Yugoslavia meant that further consideration of START II was impossible. Forthcoming Duma and presidential elections raise uncertainties on START II prospects and on the structure of the post‐Cold War arms‐control process.