The Fletcher School and MGIMO University cordially invite you to attend a conference on competing visions of global order in the United States and the Russian Federation. Bilateral relations remained unsettled after the Cold War. The relationship has deteriorated even further over the past decade and was recently described by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson as “at an all-time low point since the end of the Cold War, with a very low level of trust.” The public and political discourses in both countries are hostile and uncompromising.

The first step in managing relations, however, is to make account of the actual scope of disagreement through examining specific issues on which preferences of the parties diverge or clash. The aim of the conference, therefore, is to identify differences between the Russian Federation and United States in major areas, in which both sides have identifiable interests and substantial potential for action. These areas include contrasting narratives about the post-Cold War era, the accepted boundaries of national sovereignty, differing interpretations of international law, the situation in the Euro-Atlantic, Middle Eastern, and Asia-Pacific regions, as well as mutual suspicion regarding interference by the other side in its domestic politics. The conference is part of a larger, multiyear, overarching project on the bilateral relationship, sponsored by Carnegie Corporation of New York. The Fletcher Eurasia Club, Center for Strategic Studies, and Science Diplomacy Center are also helping organize the event. We are thankful for the support of our partners, sponsors, and volunteers.

When tweeting about the event, please use #FletcherMGIMO. Attendees and viewers will be able to ask questions of speakers using Pigeonhole Live (event passcode FLETCHERMGIMO). Please register on Eventbrite and stay updated on Facebook.