You are a U.S. military officer seconded to the U.S. National Security Council. NSC Advisor Jake Sullivan has been tasked to conduct a study by President
Biden on “how to manage U.S.-Russian relations in light of Russia’s war against Ukraine.” Evaluate the reasons for the decline in U.S.-Russian relations since
1999 and analyze where there may be room for improvement. What specific areas would you recommend that President Biden focus on? Should these be
pursued while Russia is actively at war against Ukraine, or should they be put on hold until the aggression ends and why/why not? Craft an overall rationale
for this new strategy and evaluate the pluses and minuses of adopting this course of action in terms of U.S. interests, providing a final recommendation.