Amid growing tensions with Russia, a push for meaningful dialogue

Ask Yuri Shafranik about US-Russian relations, and his brow furrows.

“They haven’t improved,” says the former Russian energy minister and businessman, whose foundation underwrites Russian participation in a longstanding effort to boost bilateral relations through unofficial, “Track II” diplomacy.

In fact, US-Russian relations have only sunk into deeper distress since September, the last time the two citizens’ delegations of the Dartmouth Conference met: more sanctions, more diplomatic expulsions, more military clashes in Syria, and a growing sense that the entire US-Russian arms-control regime is at risk.

But the oilman from Siberia is undaunted. “I invest my time, energy, money,” says Dr. Shafranik, co-chair of the Dartmouth dialogues. “We’re doing what we can.”

So are other Track II initiatives, including the Elbe Group at Harvard University and dialogues of

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