Russia has four main strategic assets: a substantial nuclear arsenal that could devastate the United States virtually without warning; vast natural resources, especially of strategic metals and oil and gas; a large export arms industry that often equips the world’s bad guys; and membership on and veto power over UN Security Council action. In sum, Russia is capable of being a major aggravation to the United States and her allies — and frequently is.
Russia and the United States are natural allies. And we used to be allied until the Bolsheviks came along.