The article analyzes the prospects and possibilities for agreements on missile defense systems, laser weapon systems, and non-nuclear strategic weapons control. Based on the balance established in relations between Russia and the US with respect to these weapon systems, the author concludes that their prohibition appears to be unrealistic. It is more feasible that the parties agree on limiting their quantitative and qualitative parameters. It is also advisable to prohibit the deployment of missile defense elements (both based on the use of interceptor missiles and new physical principles) in outer space and outside the national territory.
Events
31.10.2019
On October 31, 2019 PIR Center Director Dr. Vladimir Orlov will give a talk “The Future of U.S. – Russian Nonproliferation Cooperation” to the students and faculty of George Washington University. The meeting will be co-chaired by GWU Professor Sharo...
29.10.2019
On October 29, 2019 PIR Center Director Dr. Vladimir Orlov will participate in the US-Russia Media Dialogue on Nuclear Issues. The event is co-hosted by PIR Center and James Martin CNS.
The event is expected to touch upon the matters of Prevailing US...
28.10.2019
On October 28, 2019 PIR Center Director Dr. Vladimir Orlov will participate in the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies International Advisory Board session “What to Expect at the 2020 NPT Rev Con”. The list of speakers also includes Prof...
27.11.2018
The online seminar will take place on November 27. Online seminar is conducted via teleconference between MGIMO University and MIIS, with facilitation by PIR Center and CNS, in order to discuss a roadmap of U.S.-Russian cooperation on three pillars o...
Experts
News
02.02.2021
29.01.2021
The Security Index Occasional Paper Series came out with the new report “Future of arms control: views from the United States” that consists of two articles: “How to Multilateralize Arms Control” by Tom Countryman and “Challenges to Broadening the Scope of U.S.-Russian Arms Control” by Anya Fink.
27.01.2021
This paper describes the current strategic and geopolitical environment and the main challenges it entails for the Russian-American strategic relations, including rapid technological revolution, the rise of nuclear multipolarity, and the complete lack of trust. The author believes that addressing the new threats that reject the 50-year-long era of arms control between Moscow and Washington requires achieving meaningful improvement in Russian-U.S. political relations to the level of serious dialogue on security issues between the two governments under the new conditions. Otherwise, deterrence will not only be the principal basis of strategic stability but its only remaining basis.
The Future of the NPT: Shaping Russia’s Position
18-10-11 Russia and Nuclear Nonproliferation RUS.pdf 18-10-11 Russia and Nuclear Nonproliferation RUS.pdf “A world without nuclear weapons is a long-term goal which we need to start working towards right now. It is possible that at some point in the future we may have to consider bringing up to date the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which is the cornerstone of the nonproliferation regime."
Nikolay Spassky, Rosatom Deputy Director-General
The Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, which entered into force in 1970, still remains a key element of the entire international security architecture. Nevertheless, the current international situation presents several serious 
challenges which, if events begin to follow a negative scenario, can deform certain elements of the international architecture and undermine the nuclear nonproliferation regime.
How should Russia act in such a situation? The purpose of this project is to provide a quality expert assessment of the issue, and by arranging various platforms for discussions, to facilitate a more constructive debate of the problems currently facing the nuclear nonproliferation regime.
As part of the project PIR Center experts attended the 9th NPT Review Conference (2015). PIR Center Director Vladimir Orlov was a member of the official Russian delegation.
PIR Center's Particpation in the 2015 NPT Review Conference
White Paper “NPT-2010: Strengthening the Regime”
PIR Center's Particpation in the 2010 NPT Review Conference
For questions regarding the "Future of the NPT & Russia’s Interests" project, please contact "Nuclear Nonproliferation & Russia" Program Coordinator Sergey Semenov by phone +7 (495) 987 19 15 or via e-mail [email protected].
PIR Center Analysis
How would you prioritize the incorporation of new elements into a future arms control negotiating framework?
First, there are several approaches to defining which “elements” are actually new: some new types of weapons or new warfighting (or deterrence) domains in general, or “new” as opposed to the ...
Now when the U.S. presidential elections are over the fate of the START Treaty and nuclear arms control, in general, has become clearer.
The New START treaty is set to expire on February 5, 2021, and only a few months ago there was little doubt that it would be the end of it. The Trump administratio...
On January 19, 2021, Dr. Vladimir A. Orlov, Director of the PIR Center, gave an interview to Security Index journal.
SECURITY INDEX: In your recent op-ed column, co-authored with Sergey Semenov and published by Kommersant Daily, you stated that “Russia and the United States, as major nuclear-weapo...
Materials
Since 2014, the U.S. government has expressed increasing concerns about Russia’s emerging military capabilities as well as Moscow’s intentions, particularly toward U.S. allies and partners in Europe. The incoming U.S. administration is likely to take steps to engage with Russia in a strategic stabil...
A multilateral process is not the most urgent undertaking…
The Russian-American strategic relationship remains the most dangerous threat the world faces. It is far easier to imagine an inadvertent escalation from an incident to a conflict to a nuclear war between the US and Russia than it is to imag...
Russian-American strategic relations are entering uncharted waters with the demise of the arms control regime; rapid technological revolution; the rise of nuclear multipolarity; the asymmetry of the two countries’ positions amid their growing confrontation and an increasing likelihood of military con...
Documents
Materials on the history of the NPT preparation declassified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation on March 5, 2020
There is lecture by Hans Blix including Q&A session
The five Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) nuclear weapon states, or “P5”, established a dedicated Working Group in 2011 to work on a Glossary of Key Nuclear Terms. Since then, under the leadership of the People’s Republic of China and the joint efforts of all P5 members, three meetings of the ...