Breaking the Stalemate of Collective Insecurity in Europe

Abstract

There is a clear convergence of vital security interests of Russia and NATO countries in that: No nuclear weapons or improvised nuclear devices are used. No more states acquire nuclear weapons or long-range delivery systems. No sub-state actors acquire nuclear weapons or improvised nuclear devices. No acts of conventional or WMD terrorism with catastrophic consequences take place. No inter-state wars occur in Europe/Eurasia. No states in Eurasia fail and or become safe havens for international terrorist groups. Different vertices in the polygon, which Russia and NATO members form, have varying degrees of capabilities and motivation in tackling these challenges. They also often disagree on ways and means of doing so. When it comes to issues that divide Russia and NATO countries, hindering their cooperation, there is one that stands out and that, if resolved, can become a game-changer in Russia’s relations with the United States and its NATO allies: building of European missile. The paper outlines these measures, which, if adopted, will allow Russia and NATO countries to overcome their differences and begin to build cooperative missile defenses in what may eventually help to facilitate emergence of a security alliance of Moscow, Washington and Brussels either in the form of Russia’s membership in NATO or in some other form. In the absence of Russia's membership in NATO, substantive cooperation of Russia with NATO and the United States on missile defense could become a game changer in Russia’s relations with Washington and Brussels. If institutionalized, such cooperation will not only strengthen collective security of European countries, but will also help to end the military stand-off between the alliance and Moscow and pave way for deepening of cooperation between them and perhaps eventual members of Russia in the alliance.