U.S.-Russia dialogue on the NPT review process. Ideas from next generation discussed online

MOSCOW, MAY 26. PIR PRESS. «The circumstances in which the whole world has found itself today have changed, but the importance of nuclear nonproliferation issues and U.S.-Russia dialogue on the NPT review process continues to bring together both young and major experts. I am very glad that modern technologies help us in this. Could anyone predict a year ago, at the last meeting of the working group, that the Review Conference would be rescheduled? Hardly. But this gives us time, and by “us” I mean Russia, the USA and the whole nonproliferation community, time to think creatively about how we can better prepare for it. And our Track 2.5 meetings are devoted to exactly such ideas, fresh and bright, from the next generation of experts», – Director of PIR Center, Head of the Center for Global Trends and International Organizations at the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Federation, Professor at MGIMO University, Co-Chair of the working group Dr. Vladimir Orlov.

On May 15, 2020, the third U.S.-Russia Track 2.5 format seminar on the NPT review process was held. Seminar`s co-hosts, PIR Center and the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at Monterey (CNS), have been conducting joint U.S.-Russia meetings in this format since 2018, co-chaired by PIR Center`s Director, Head of the Center for Global Trends and International Organizations at the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Federation, Professor at MGIMO University Dr. Vladimir Orlov and Director of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Sam Nunn and Richard Lugar Professor of Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey Dr. William Potter.

Welcoming the participants, Vladimir Orlov said: «The circumstances in which the whole world has found itself today have changed, but the importance of nuclear nonproliferation issues and U.S.-Russia dialogue on the NPT review process continues to bring together both young and major experts. I am very glad that modern technologies help us in this. Could anyone predict a year ago, at the last meeting of the working group, that the Review Conference would be rescheduled? Hardly. But this gives us time, and by “us” I mean Russia, the USA and the whole nonproliferation community, time to think creatively about how we can better prepare for it. And our Track 2.5 meetings are devoted to exactly such ideas, fresh and bright, from the next generation of experts».

This time the seminar was held in the form of a videoconference, thus 32 participants managed to join the meeting from 5 countries and 14 cities on 3 continents. The meeting was co-moderated by Educational Program Director of PIR Center Yulia Sych and Director of the CNS Eurasia Nonproliferation Program Sarah Bidgood.

The seminar participants — mainly students and graduates of the Dual Degree Master`s program ran by MGIMO, PIR Center and the Middlebury Institute for International Studies at Monterey (USA), as well as students of the Middlebury Institute — presented their research and together with major experts from two countries discussed the experience of bilateral cooperation between the USSR/Russia and the United States on nonproliferation, arms control and peaceful use of atomic energy issues over the past 50 years, joint efforts to prepare for the X NPT Review Conference and possibilities of cooperation during the next review cycle. The main questions of the meeting were what lessons could be learned from experience of the two countries’ interaction, what could be applicable today and in the future.

Together with young professionals, major experts from Russia and the USA took part in the seminar, including Special Representative to the President of the United States for Nuclear Nonproliferation (2009-2012) Amb. Susan Burk, U.S. Ambassador to the NPT Review Conference Dr. Lewis Dunn, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation in New Zealand (2004-2008), Director of International Cooperation Department of the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom (2008-2014) Dr. Mikhail Lysenko, Consultants and partners of PIR Center.

Giving the concluding remarks, Co-Chairs Vladimir Orlov and William Potter thanked the participants for their comprehensive presentations, interesting comments and in-depth substantive discussion, as well as expressed their hope for being able to meet face-to-face soon and continue the dialogue on the sidelines of the upcoming NPT Review Conference.

For questions related to the PIR Center’s «Russian and Nuclear Nonproliferation» Program, please, contact Director of PIR Center Dr. Vladimir A. Orlov by phone +7 (495) 987 19 15 or e-mail orlov at pircenter.org.

For questions related to the PIR Center’s Educational Program, please, contact Program Director Yulia Sych by phone +7 (495) 987 19 15 or e-mail sych at pircenter.org.