Our nation is uniquely endowed to play a creative and decisive role in the new order which is taking form around us.

The Gorbachev period is conceived as an abandonment of historic Russian positions. So this is the framework, in my view, in which Putin operates.

The nuclear weapons were not useful for the achievement of political objectives.

The absence of alternatives clears the mind marvelously.

For my generation the relationship with Europe was the central point of American foreign policy. Even during my time in government there was disagreement, sometimes very strong disagreement. But they were all like arguments within a family. I am not sure if the generation which doesn't have these experiences has the same view of things.

We cannot always assure the future of our friends; we have a better chance of assuring our future if we remember who our friends are.

It is, after all, the responsibility of the expert to operate the familiar and that of the leader to transcend it.