The New START: motives, attitudes, prospects of the US-Russia arms control initiative

Aigerim Nurseitova

Bachelor's thesis

Abstract:

The research paper aims at studying motives leading to the New START, current attitudes of parties involved, and prospects following the treaty expiration. The study is conducted using a qualitative re-search method, relying on the analysis of past academic work and re-cent political discourse on the New START. The research concluded several motives, such as strategic stability, commitment to the NPT, replacement of START I and SORT treaties, etc.; current positive Rus-sian and fluctuating US attitudes; and possible scenarios of extension, expiration, adoption of trilateral or modified bilateral agreements.

Abstract:

The research paper aims at studying motives leading to the New START, current attitudes of parties involved, and prospects following the treaty expiration. The study is conducted using a qualitative re-search method, relying on the analysis of past academic work and re-cent political discourse on the New START. The research concluded several motives, such as strategic stability, commitment to the NPT, replacement of START I and SORT treaties, etc.; current positive Rus-sian and fluctuating US attitudes; and possible scenarios of extension, expiration, adoption of trilateral or modified bilateral agreements.

Keywords

New START treaty, US-Russia relations, China, nuclear arms control, bilateral arms control, New START’s prospects

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 21. 5. 2020

Thesis defence

• Date of defence: 1. 6. 2020
• Supervisor: PhDr. Petr Suchý, Ph.D.
• Reader: Mgr. Jana Urbanovská, Ph.D.

Masaryk University

Faculty of Social Studies

Bachelor programme / field:
International Territorial Studies / International Relations and European Politics (Eng.)