Wolfgang Ischinger chairs panel with Nadia Arbatova, Oliver Meier, Alexei Pushkov and Greg Thielmann.

Photos © Hertie School / Peter Himsel

The Hertie School event “In search of de-escalation and stability: Transparency, arms control and confidence-building in NATO-Russia relations” on 26 November brought together security experts from Germany, Russia and the US to explore reinvigorating arms control talks. In a panel discussion chaired by Hertie School Professor for Security Policy and Diplomatic Practice Wolfgang Ischinger, participants discussed rising nuclear armament tensions between the United States and Russia, after both countries accused each other of violating the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, followed by President Donald Trump’s announcement that the US would withdraw from the treaty.

Discussants included Nadia Arbatova, Head of the Department on European Political Studies at the Institute for World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO), Russian Academy of Sciences; Oliver Meier, Deputy Head of the International Security Division at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs; Alexei K. Pushkov, Chairman of the Commission on Information and Media, Council of Federation, Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation; and Greg Thielmann, a former US Foreign Service Officer who has served more than three decades in the executive and legislative branches of the United States government, specialising in political-military and intelligence issues. Thielmann is currently a board member of the Arms Control Association.

Questions included the extent to which the international non-proliferation regime could be damaged by recent developments, whether the INF Treaty might still be saved, and what “low-hanging fruit” on the arms control agenda could help jump-start engagement. In addition, they discussed whether there is a role for Europe in this debate.

The event was hosted by the Centre for International Security Policy at the Hertie School.