Missile defenses and nuclear arms reductions: Can deterrence withstand the attention?

The expectation of improved missile defense technologies and the commitment by the United States and NATO to deploy advanced missile defenses in Europe have raised important issues related to nuclear deterrence. One of the most contentious issues between the United States and Russia in 2011-2012 was the Obama administration’s revised version of the US-NATO European-based missile defense plan. Russian political leaders criticized this plan, insisted on a shared Russian-NATO missile defense arrangement going forward, and threatened responsive countermeasures if the United States and NATO proceeded despite Russia’s objections.¹ A NATO-Russia summit originally scheduled for May 2012 in Chicago was shelved in favor of other forums for consultations between President Obama and the newly reelected Russian President Vladimir Putin. Regardless of the outcome of dialogue with Russia, NATO planned to announce at its 2012 summit the onset of the first phase of its evolving European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA) to European missile defense.