RUSSIA S RESURGENCE IN THE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM AND THE INCREASE IN US RUSSIAN RELATIONS; 2000-2008

After the collapse of Soviet Union and the end of Cold War، during the 1990s، there were different periods of peaceful and strained relations between the United States and the Russian Federation. George Bush’s coming to power in U. S. and Vladimir Putin’s in Russia in 2000 marked a new era in U. S. -Soviet relations. This era started peacefully and after 11 September، Putin’s support for the US increased. He also continued his support for America’s war in Afghanistan. But، as USA considered Russia’s regime oppressive and non-democratic، U. S. -Russia relations became strained. Tensions heightened by later events and culminated during Russia-Ossetia war in 2008. In fact، Washington-Moscow relations from 2000 to 2008 slowly deteriorated. This article suggests that one major reason behind the increased tensions between the two countries was Russia’s resurgence on the international scene. It provided Russia an opportunity to react more forcefully against the US’s unilateral policies. This، in turn، induced America’s response to Russia’s actions، resulting in a period of tensions in U. S-Russia relations.