Assessing the reset: successes and failures in the Obama administration's Russia policy, 2009–2012

TY - JOUR

T1 - Assessing the reset

T2 - successes and failures in the Obama administration's Russia policy, 2009–2012

AU - Deyermond, Ruth

PY - 2013

Y1 - 2013

N2 - Critics of the Obama administration’s ‘reset’ with Russia claim that it has failed to improve bilateral relations and has conceded too much to Russia at the expense of American interests. In fact, the reset has delivered significant improvements in key areas and established the institutional basis for continued cooperation in the future, benefitting both states. Although disagreements remain onseveral important issues including missile defence, humanitarian intervention, and democracy, the reset has been broadly successful on its own terms, which were always limited in scope and based on a pragmatic recognition of the limits of possible cooperation.Future progress is uncertain, however – obstacles include differences of national interest; the complicating effects of relations with third party states; and the impact of domestic politics. A continuation of the pragmatic approach underpinning the reset represents the best chance for stability in the US-Russia relationship.

AB - Critics of the Obama administration’s ‘reset’ with Russia claim that it has failed to improve bilateral relations and has conceded too much to Russia at the expense of American interests. In fact, the reset has delivered significant improvements in key areas and established the institutional basis for continued cooperation in the future, benefitting both states. Although disagreements remain onseveral important issues including missile defence, humanitarian intervention, and democracy, the reset has been broadly successful on its own terms, which were always limited in scope and based on a pragmatic recognition of the limits of possible cooperation.Future progress is uncertain, however – obstacles include differences of national interest; the complicating effects of relations with third party states; and the impact of domestic politics. A continuation of the pragmatic approach underpinning the reset represents the best chance for stability in the US-Russia relationship.

U2 - 10.1080/09662839.2013.777704

DO - 10.1080/09662839.2013.777704

M3 - Article

SN - 0966-2839

VL - 22

SP - 500

EP - 523

JO - European Security

JF - European Security

IS - 4

M1 - n/a

ER -