Bush, Putin Choose Handshake Over Treaty
Nov. 14, 2001 -- In the closing days of the Cold War, the United States and Russia each had as many as 10,000 nuclear warheads primed and pointed each other.
In Washington on Tuesday, President Bush told Russian President Vladimir Putin that the United States needs no more than 1,700 to 2,200 weapons.
Putin, at the conclusion of day one of this summit, pledged Russia to cooperate: "For our part we will try to respond in kind."
The Cold War is so over, in the eyes of these 21st century presidents, that a handshake will do instead of a formal treaty.
"I think it's interesting to note that a new relationshipbased upon trust and cooperation is one that doesn't need endlesshours of arms control discussions," Bush told reporters during a joint news conference at the White House.
Bush said he remembered the days of lengthy talks over nuclear disarmament. "My attitude is, here's what we can live with, and so I've announced the level that we'll stick by. And to me, that's how you approach a relationship that is changed and different," Bush said.
The two leaders are determined to reshape the relationship between Washington and Moscow as one of partners. President Bush spoke of the "trust" between them, two decades after another Republican president, Ronald Reagan, promised to "trust, but verify" arms reductions by the other side.
Putin said the shift was a sign of the "dynamic relationship" between the two nations.
"We have come to understand each otherbetter, and our positions are becoming closer on the key issues ofbilateral and international relations. We are prepared now to seeksolutions in all areas of our joint abilities," Putin said.
Future of Nuclear Deterrence
The summit talks signal the end of an era of protracted missile negotiations staked on mutual and balanced reductions negotiated for months on end. Bush is anxious to move on to what he considers the future for nuclear deterrence — the untested concept of a missile defense system that would kill incoming nuclear warheads before they hit their targets.
Bush does not see Russia as the enemy. It is terrorists now, and rogue nations with nuclear ambitions.
On this point, Bush and Putin are in clear agreement. "We considerthis threat as a global threat, indeed, and the terrorists and thosewho help them should know that the justice is inescapable, and it willreach them wherever they try to hide," Putin said.
But Putin isn't as willing to join Bush in his missile defense plans — at least not yet. Russia maintains that the U.S. plans violate the terms of the 1972 ABM treaty. Putin said the Russian position had not changed but hinted that he and Bush might find a compromise.
Today, Bush and Putin move the summit from Washington to the informal comfort of the Bush ranch in tiny Crawford, Texas.
"We will have an opportunity to continue the work on this, one of the very difficult issues, at the Crawford ranch," said Putin.
Reductions to the level of 2,200 American warheads will take 10 years, President Bush explained. And the impact, he says, should live long after the Bush and Putin presidencies are over.