ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the perceived threat of Russia to the security of extending North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to include former members of the Warsaw Pact. Therefore it begins by considering the arguments advanced in favor of extending NATO, before moving on to a formal assessment of current and future threats to security in Europe. There is general agreement that the security of Europe requires the integration of republics of the former Soviet Union (FSU), especially Russia, into a stable security system. To assess the threat posed by Russia to security in Europe in the twenty-first century, setting Russian behavior in the context of its times and clear away distortions of Cold War propaganda. The chapter also argues that Russian co-operation is essential if the major powers are to respond effectively to the threat of breakdown of political and civil order in former communist states and if the various aspects of the nuclear problem are to be dealt with successfully.
