New Realism About U.S.-Russia Relations

Though conservative foreign policy experts have repudiated the notion that the U.S. could reach a "grand bargain" with Russia to form a common position on Iran's controversial nuclear program, Ploughshares Fund President Joe Cirincione told Global Security Newswire, "A 'bargain' is not the right way to describe it. That implies we're giving up something in order to get something, which is not the right mindset at all.” Cirincione continued, "We're not bargaining anything away. There is a new realism about U.S.-Russia relations and the possibility of new cooperation to solve several joint areas of concern, including Iran's nuclear program."

There has been speculation recently that the U.S. would exchange its missile-defense program in Europe for Russia's support in Iran.