Just how important is Russia in the world?

Background and current information regarding the Russia - Belarus merger and why the former Soviet state is of importance to Russia.

Complete English text of President Putin's official response to the December 13, 2001, announcement of the withdrawal from the ABM Treaty by the US.

Historic border accords signed between Russia and China on December 9, 1999.  This one of the last major official acts of then President Boris Yeltsin prior to his surprise resignation on December 31.

Onset of the Cold War.

Russia deserves concessions from the US in return for its support regarding Afghanistan and other issues.  Should Putin have secured this political payments up front?  What, if anything, will he take home from the November summit?

A series of articles which deal with Soviet foreign policy. In Part One, we make our way through a series of treaties, pacts and secret alliances during the years leading up to WWII and Germany's attack on Russia.

Sixtieth Anniversary of Operation Barbarossa; June 22, 2001.

Russia's stance on the issue of the ABM Treaty vs. the U.S. NMD program has well understood and consistant for some time.  On December 13, 2001, President Bush officially announced his nation's withdrawal from the treaty.  The short and long term consequences are heavily debated and yet to be seen.

The statistics regarding Russia's orphaned and/or abandoned children are quite disturbing with Americans making up the majority of foreign adoptive parents. Reforms have been implemented but do little to improve living conditions in Russia's orphanages. What does the future hold for these children?

Russia and Japan have yet to sign a WWII peace treaty. At the center of the dispute are four ancient volcanic islands, part of the Kuril Islands help by Russia and known to Japan as the Northern Territory.

One million Russia lives were lost, but, Hitler was turned back and Russia can be credited with changing the tide of WWII in Europe.