STUDY Prospects for Arms Control in Europe MICHAEL BRZOSKA, ANNE FINGER, OLIVER MEIER, GÖTZ NEUNECK, WOLFGANG ZELLNER November 2011 „ „ The complex linkages between conventional and nuclear disarmament as well as plans for missile defenses are the topic of this study. Military disparities between NATO and Russia impede arms control progress. NATO has an advantage over Rus­sia in most military categories. Parity exists on only in the field of strategic nuclear weapons, while Russia has a numerical advantage in holdings of short-range tactical nuclear weapons. The large arsenal of Russian tactical nuclear weapons as well as NATO’s tactical nuclear weapons are hindering disarmament. „ „ New NATO members particularly reject a too far-reaching engagement policy vis-à­vis Moscow. Russia, on the other hand, is not willing to support a rapprochement in arms control because it is facing NATO’s conventional predominance. This situation is further complicated by unsolved subregional conflicts and the technological su­premacy of US military capabilities. „ „ The study highlights four approaches to conventional and nuclear arms control in Eu­rope. Firstly, confidence-building and transparency should be improved, for instance in the field of tactical nuclear weapons. Secondly, opportunities to cooperate, espe­cially on missile defenses, should be identified and implemented. Thirdly, quantita­tive increases and qualitative improvements of military capabilities, for instance in the field of strategic conventional systems, need to be avoided through agreements and self-restraint. Finally, weapon systems that have lost their military or political useful­ness should be eliminated.