The U.S.-Russia agreement to cut nuclear arsenals could prove a major boost to arms control and nonproliferation initiatives, but at least one important strategic disagreement will linger, writes CFR's Stephen Sestanovich.

Carolyn M. Leddy argues that the new U.S. Nuclear Posture review is "an opportunity for Obama to correct his errant disarmament course with a healthy dose of post-Cold War reality."

This timeline looks at the history of U.S.-Russia arms control milestones from 1949 to present.

Following a post-Cold War erosion of senior level attention to nuclear weapons stewardship, the Air Force general charged with protecting the U.S. nuclear arsenal says his service is finally regaining its strategic focus.

The Arms Control Association explains key components of a "new START" deal and the importance of a strategic nuclear reduction deal.

CFR nuclear arms expert Charles D. Ferguson says with an important nuclear arms control deadline approaching, the U.S.-Russia talks remain complicated by missile defense and verification issues.

Watch Mohamed ElBaradei, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, speak about the current nuclear situation, threats to stability, and ways to further promote nonproliferation.

Mohamed ElBaradei, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, speaks about the current nuclear situation, threats to stability, and ways to further promote nonproliferation.

Seth Roberts writes that Moscow's close economic ties with Tehran will make it hard to convince Putin to put pressure on Iran's nuclear program.

Expert David Albright, says the preliminary agreement by which Iran will ship its low-enriched uranium to Russia for further processing "allows time for negotiations" to get Iran to freeze its nuclear program but warns Iran might still block the implementation of the plan.

Listen to Charles D. Ferguson, the Philip D. Reed senior f ellow for science and technology at CFR, discuss U.S. nuclear weapons policy and strengthening the nonproliferation regime with students as part of CFR's Academic Conference Call series.

Learn more about CFR's Academic Initiative.

Charles D. Ferguson discusses foreign policy issues that must be addressed in order to reach nuclear abolition.

CFR's top arms control expert, Charles D. Ferguson, says "nothing revolutionary" was agreed to on arms control issues at the U.S.-Russia summit, despite a pledge to cut nuclear arsenals down from current levels.

Amitai Etzioni and Charles D. Ferguson argue, "stove-piping is blocking what could be a major, multifaceted deal" between the United States and Russia.

On July 6, Presidents Medvedev and Obama signed a Joint Understanding to guide the remainder of the negotiations.  The Joint Understanding commits the United States and Russia to reduce their strategic warheads to a range of 1500-1675, and their strategic delivery vehicles to a range of 500-1100.  Under the expiring START and the Moscow treaties the maximum allowable levels of warheads is 2200 and the maximum allowable level of launch vehicles is 1600.

President Obama:

...We've taken important steps forward to increase nuclear security and to stop the spread of nuclear weapons.

This starts with the reduction of our own nuclear arsenals.  As the world's two leading nuclear powers, the United States and Russia must lead by example, and that's what we're doing here today.  We have signed a Joint Understanding for a follow-on treaty to the START agreement that will reduce our nuclear warheads and delivery systems by up to a third from our current treaty limitations.  This legally binding treaty will be completed this year.

We've also agreed on a joint statement on nuclear security cooperation that will help us achieve the goal of securing all vulnerable nuclear materials within four years -- progress that we can build upon later this week at the G8 summit.  Together, these are important steps forward in implementing the agenda that I laid out in Prague.

In Moscow, President Barack Obama will focus on improving U.S.-Russia relations, which suffered during the final years of the Bush administration. But analysts say moving beyond rhetoric toward substantive change could be complicated by history and competing interests.

Scott A. Snyder testifies before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs' Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and the Global Environment; and Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade. His testimony addresses North Korea’s nuclear and missile tests and Six-Party talks.

Charles D. Ferguson gives an "Assessment of the Proliferation Risks of Spent Fuel Reprocessing and Alternative Nuclear Waste Management Strategies," before the House Committee on Science and Technology.

Listen to experts discuss the implications of North Korea's recent nuclear tests and the available policy options for the Obama administration and the international community.