Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney calls Russia the No. 1 foe of the United States and promises to stand up to President Vladimir Putin. But if he is elected president, he might find that he will need Moscow's help.
Russia plays a critical role in facilitating the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. The United States also needs its cooperation on keeping nuclear materials away from terrorists and American adversaries, and preventing gridlock at the United Nations Security Council, where both countries have vetoes.
While Romney has said he would "reset the reset" in U.S.-Russian ties, he hasn't said what exactly he'd do differently beyond taking a tougher approach.
Romney advisers say Obama has conceded much to Russia and received little in return. "On every major issue, we have received nothing but intransigence, obstruction, counterproductive behavior," said Romney foreign policy adviser Alex Wong.
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