The article holds that when Putin came into power,RussoU.S.relationship was at its lowest point.The first major obstacle
encountered by Putin has been NMD,and Putin has regarded the checking of U.S.
deployment of NMD as one of the most
important and most urgent tasks for Russia's foreign policy.The reasons are:①Russia worries that the depolyment of NMD will weaken Russia's ability of nuclear deterrence.②Russia's strategic nuclear force which can be well matched with that of the U.S.is regarded as the most important symbol of Russia's “greatpower status”.The deployment of NMD might eventually well deprive Russia of that status.③Putin expects to develop Russia's economy with financial means as many as possible.Yet the establishment of the U.S.NMD system might force Russia to slowdown and even to stop the process of nuclear force reduction,thus seriously affecting the development of Russia's economy.In order to check the NMD,Russia has strived to seek support from the European allies of the United States as well as from China.The joint statement by China and Russia on ABM Treaty has fully demonstrated their firm stand against the deployment of NMD.Other problems,such as NATO's enlargement,Chechen and human rights problem,Iran and Iraq,although less important than NMD,seems not being relaxed.Obviously,George W.Bush has been very hard not only on NMD,but also on NATO's eastward expansion and U.S.Asia policy.If this is what Bush really wants to show,then RussoU.S.relations will be steeply downturned.