This CFR Issue Tracker looks at the United States' relationship with Russia and presidential candidates' stances on the issue.

With oil supplies tight, regions most vulnerable to oil supply disruptions present a significant economic concern, particularly threats to the Strait of Hormuz and unrest in Nigeria, explains this Backgrounder.

This session was a meeting of the Emerging Powers in Global Health Governance roundtable series.

Leslie H. Gelb says that twenty years after the end of the Cold War, persisting myths about a U.S. victory based on military spending and toughness blind today's policymakers from seeing clearly what actually won the Cold War and what matters most in 21^st-century global affairs—the strength of the U.S. economy.

David Remnick examines how effective the resistance to Putin's next presidency can be.

Vaclav Havel went from designing theater sets to choreographing the Czech Republic's entry into NATO. One constant in his improbable rise to president was a steely commitment to human rights, as reflected in selected excerpts.

CFR senior fellow Stephen Sestanovich discusses the Russian elections and public demostrations stating, "[E]ven if the [presidential] election doesn't go against [Putin], there's a potential here for changing the atmosphere and rules of Russian politics in a fundamental way."

Russia's pending membership in the World Trade Organization could alter its global economic standing and boost trading partners. But experts say Moscow must restructure its economy to benefit from joining the club.

Russia's December 4 parliamentary vote has prompted mass demonstrations over allegations of electoral fraud. The protests also stem from public frustration with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's decision to run again for president in March. CFR senior fellow Stephen Sestanovich says "[E]ven if the [presidential] election doesn't go against [Putin], there's a potential here for changing the atmosphere and rules of Russian politics in a fundamental way." Listen to Sestanovich as he discusses the elections and public demonstrations.

Frank G. Klotz, Susan J. Koch, and Franklin C. Miller argue that as the United States and Russia continue to reduce long-range, strategic nuclear weapons to increasingly lower levels, a disparity in tactical nuclear weapons has serious implications for the overall nuclear balance between the two countries and the continued efficacy of the U.S. nuclear umbrella for its allies.

The mass protests in Russia challenging the parliamentary vote reflect increasing hostility to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and have the potential to change Russian politics in a fundamental way, says CFR's Stephen Sestanovich.

The sharp drop in support for the ruling United Russia party in parliamentary elections reflects growing public discontent with Vladimir Putin's decision to seek the presidency again next year, says analyst Maria Lipman.

The Treaty on Prevention of the Placement of Weapons in Outer Space and of the Threat or Use of Force Against Outer Space Objects (PPWT) was first proposed by China and Russia in February 2008 as an international legally binding treaty that would outlaw the weaponization of space.

Robert McMahon argues that unresolved conflicts haunting former Soviet states could hold clues to how the region develops in the decades ahead — or doesn't.

This report tracks the foreign investment portfolios of the BRIC governments— Brazil, Russia, India, and China—by looking at reserves holdings and holdings of U.S. assets.

Russia's accession to the WTO can boost U.S. exports to the country, but the U.S. Congress will have to graduate Russia from Cold War-era trade legislation, says CFR's Stephen Sestanovich.

Gregory Feifer discuses how government corruption and radicalization of Islam in the Northern Caucasus are deepening divisions in society and fueling violence in the area.

Joshua Kurlantzick says Europe is turning to emerging economies to help solve its debt crisis, but it's too bad they can't deliver.

Graham Allison and Robert D. Blackwill state, "...Russia matters a great deal to a U.S. government seeking to defend and advance its national interests."

This task force on Russia and U.S. national interests, from Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs and the Center for the National Interest, makes the case that Russia remains one of the handful of countries in the world that can deeply affect American national interests, demanding constant U.S. attention.