1st Edition
The disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991 marked the end of an era for U.S. foreign policy. With the Soviet threat gone, U.S. foreign policy lost its primary focus. Many Americans turned away from issues overseas and put their former enemy out of their minds.

Yet, the former Soviet Union still casts an enormous shadow. Russia—by far the largest of the fifteen former Soviet states—is a giant among nations. The country covers one-seventh of the earth’s land and contains huge reserves of oil, gas, minerals, and other natural resources. It assumed control of most of the Soviet Union’s powerful military and its permanent seat on the UN Security Council. Russia possesses a nuclear arsenal comparable to that of the United States and a powerful army. Washington and Moscow are no longer the bitter enemies they were during the Cold War, but neither are they allies. For all of these reasons, the relationship between Russia and the United States remains extremely important. Russia's Transformation: Challenges for U.S. Policy draws students into the debate on U.S. policy towards Russia.