Global and Regional Stability in the Nuclear World

This article is based on a report presented by the author at the Scientific Session of the General Meeting of Members of the Russian Academy of Sciences "75 Years of the Nuclear Industry: Contribution of the Academy of Sciences" and provides a detailed description of the approaches and understanding of strategic stability in the current hardly favorable conditions of conflict between major global powers. Naturally, the focus is primarily on the interaction of Russia and the United States in this area in the context of the transition to a polycentric world order. The problem of the rise of China and its entry into the ranks of the strongest military powers is also discussed. This article emphasizes the idea that today, when geopolitical and technological threats to strategic stability are becoming increasingly prominent, national security can no longer be limited to maintaining the nuclear balance: it is necessary to strive for scientific and technical parity, which is the only way to achieve military-technological parity. The increasing role of fundamentally new types of conventional high-precision and hypersonic weapons, which are based on scientific achievements, is also noted. Turning to the issue of arms control, this article provides a detailed overview of the existing means that require concluding international agreements and also notes the role of science diplomacy in this process.