America and Russia have been at odds with each other since the end of WWII. Leading into the Cold War, this competition put America at the forefront of space travel, global communication, and holder of the largest stockpile of WMD’s in the world.

With the recent hack to sway American voters in the 2016 (and current meddling) presidential elections, support of dictators and war with Ukraine US-Russian relations are the worst they have been since the Cold War. In a way, we have never really left the Cold War.

Both countries are massive and have a wealth of resources, land, and people. Much of Russia is uninhabitable due to the harsh weather conditions but has also left a wealth of reserved land and untapped oil. The US also has a great advantage as it has an ocean to protect itself, a reserve of oil, and allies on both borders.

Russia has a long history that goes back much further than the US. Breaking conquerors like Napoleon while we were still forming, living in some of the harshest conditions, building and surviving after the rise and fall of many leaders, they are proud and hearty. Both the US and Russia saw themselves as allies during the two great wars. It wasn’t until the Cold War that relations took a nosedive. Both countries engaged in a worldwide competition to outdo each other in the development of rockets and space programs.

Russia was the poster-boy of communism during and the supposed opposite of capitalism. America entered a war economy and Russia was the best excuse to keep it going. Since the “fall of the Soviet Union,” we are in a perpetual state of tension with Russia. Russia has recently used hacking to show that with a little manipulation here and there, views can be swayed on a massive scale.

“In the twilight of post-Soviet states, things remain much as they were, albeit in farcical and less recognizable form.” Said Bruce Jackson, a senior fellow for the Hudson Institute. Though Russia is labeled as a federal republic with “semi-presidential elections” they have not really changed since.

We have not once taken direct action against them in terms of fighting. We supply war efforts for Syria and Ukraine but do not provide men, just equipment. The same goes for Russia in places in the Middle East and the backing of North Korea. Putin himself has stated that he does not want conflict with the United States.

Russia has also recently been caught flying over the United States doing surveillance. we have denounced Russia of such action, the US recently allowed Russia to certify one of its aircraft, the Tu-214, to be apart of the open skies treaty. The treaty states that military aircraft that are not armed can do open surveillance of another nation.

After two great wars and the invention of the nuclear bomb, direct conflict with nations who have these weapons is what Donald Brennan called “mutually assured destruction.” With the United States and Russia at the top, each having well over 4,000, direct conflict is not an option. We may not realize it, but nuclear weapons are a way to secure your power as a nation. With even just one that nation has the power to wipe out millions. With these superpowers both having enough to wipe out the world, peace must be maintained.