How did U.S.-Russia relations begin in the 1990s?

• A. As a cold war adversaries
• B. As a strategic partnership
• C. As a military alliance
• D. As a non-aligned state

Answer: (B)

In the 1990s the relationship between the United States and Russia evolved into a strategic partnership. After the Soviet Union collapsed, Washington encouraged Russia to move toward a stable, democratic market economy and to participate in European security and global institutions. They worked together on arms control and nuclear nonproliferation, such as START-type agreements and threat-reduction efforts, aiming to reduce the danger of nuclear weapons and to integrate Russia into the post–Cold War security order. This broad cooperation reflected a shift from rivalry to collaboration, without a formal military alliance or a stance of ongoing adversaries. Russia remained a major power pursuing its own interests, but the overall tone and goals of U.S.–Russian relations in the early 1990s were about partnership and shared security interests.