BERLIN: The United States and Russia are engaged in brinkmanship at NATO headquarters in Brussels, where both sides are trying to salvage an arms treaty that is considered one of the cornerstones of European security since the end of the Cold War.
But much more is at stake. The United States and its European allies, especially France and Germany, want to try to strike a grand bargain with President Vladimir Putin. Their hope is that if NATO allies make concessions over the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty, not only would Putin lift his threat to pull out of the accord on Dec. 12, but it could also be the start of a diplomatic rapprochement with Russia, helping to reach compromises over other big international disputes.
One is Kosovo. Despite Russia's staunch opposition, the ethnic Albanians are intent on declaring unilateral independence next month if talks with Serbia fail. The second is Iran, where the United States needs Russia's full support for stopping the Islamic Republic from obtaining the capability to produce nuclear weapons. And finally there is the U.S. plan to deploy part of its antiballistic missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic, which Russia and indeed several West European countries believe is foolhardy.
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