Foreign-Policy Expert Talks About “Return to Cold War”

SIPA welcomed Soviet and Russian foreign-policy expert Robert Legvold for a discussion of his new book, Return to Cold War, on September 13.

Using the Cold War as a conceptual framework for understanding the present-day relationship between Russia and the United States, Legvold—who is the Marshall D. Shulman Professor Emeritus in Columbia’s Department of Political Science—discussed the opportunity costs of their deteriorating relations. The current situation in Ukraine, he said, exemplifies this failure.

“Ninety-nine percent of responsibility is always placed on the other side,” Legvold said in characterizing how the two countries portray problems in their relations. Nuclear arms control, climate change, and global peace and security are all heavily influenced by the way the United States and Russia choose to interact.

Legvold then suggested how leadership in both countries might shift their objectives in order to make the current period of difficult relations as “short and as shallow as possible.”

Desirable outcomes for Russia and the United States, Legvold said, “begin with a strategic vision instead of tactical requirements, better integrating short-term imperatives with long-term goals.”

He cited as one example current events surrounding China and North Korea.

“The ideal U.S.-Russia relationship,” Legvold remarked, “involves the cooperation rather than the exploitation of power transition in the Asia-Pacific.”

The discussion then opened up with questions from the audience. Kimberly Marten, director of the Program for U.S.-Russia Relations at the Harriman Institute, asked what advice Legvold would give to the incoming U.S. president.

“There are many obstacles,” Legvold said. “But if the objective is to get leadership to make the new cold war shorter, trust is key to progress.”

— Ginger Whitesell MPA ’17