Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin struck a deal early today with the European Union on supervising the flow of natural gas through Ukraine, paving the way to restart shipments to fuel-starved European customers.
The price dispute that first drove Russia to cut off gas to Ukraine on New Year's Day had yet to be resolved, and there was no word on how soon gas deliveries to Europe would start up again. There was no immediate response from Ukraine.
Regardless of who wins on November 4, a consistent, coherent voice to advance nuclear disarmament and global cooperative security based on the rule of law will remain necessary.
The Global Security Institute (GSI), along with many other civil society initiatives and governments, is advancing these goals on multiple fronts, in the US through the Bipartisan Security Group and internationally through the Middle Powers Initiative and the network of Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament.
John Mroz, president of the EastWest Institute, said on Friday it was time to “seize this (auspicious) moment”, and take dramatic action to reduce weapons of mass destruction, as a major arms reduction treaty between the United States and the Russian Federation is ending and a leadership change in Washington is in sight.
He was speaking at a joint press conference at the UN to launch an initiative designed by the EastWest Institute, an independent international body focussing on security issues to break the logjam in global efforts to control and reduce stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction.
EWI Vice President and Director of Public Policy Andrew Nagorski was recently interviewed on Fox News about the status of U.S.-Russia relations.Nagorski argued that the rhetoric, which both sides have been ratcheting up, can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Both sides need to step back and recognize that there are some areas -- like counterterrorism, Iran, Afghanistan, and energy -- where the United States and Russia have to find ways to work together, whatever their disagreements
