U.S.-Russian Strategic Stability Dialogue

This is an in-person event for U-M students only. This event will not be recorded or livestreamed.

After their meeting in Geneva on June 16, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a Joint Statement announcing the launch of “an integrated bilateral Strategic Stability Dialogue in the near future that will be deliberate and robust.”

The Strategic Stability Dialogue offers an opportunity for both sides to examine — and possibly reshape — the fundamentals of the bilateral relationship.  High-level dialogue and even working-level contacts have atrophied in recent years.  The two sides have not had meaningful discussions on fundamental issues such as arms control, cyber security, interference in domestic politics, “red-lines” in domestic and international behavior, and other “rules of the game.”  Nor have they engaged in discussions of such positive efforts as cultural connections, student exchanges, or collaborative scientific research.

The U.S.-Russia relationship needs to be updated for the 21st century. Each side needs to examine its national interests and determine how the bilateral relationship reinforces or undermines them — and how both sides can work together to defend and advance their interests. The goal of any negotiation is to find outcomes that both sides can consider a win.

Prior to the workshop, students will receive a small packet of readings on precedents for the Strategic Stability Dialogue and current issues in U.S.-Russian relations. During the workshop, students will break into small groups, each tasked with determining U.S. preferences for the basic structure of the Strategic Stability Dialogue, its conduct, and its mandate and agenda (i.e., the substantive issues it will address).

This event is co-sponsored with LSA’s Center for Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies (CREES).

Health and safety

Attendees are expected to follow current University of Michigan health and safety protocols, including the use of face masks inside all campus buildings, and should complete the mandatory ResponsiBLUE screening prior to entering Weill Hall, regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status. Please see the U-M Campus Maize and Blueprint for all current public health guidance, policy, and answers to frequently asked questions. For contact tracing purposes, please register for this event using the form linked at the top of this listing.

• CREES
• Russia
• Mark Pekala