A conference call exchange on Wednesday, September 30 from 11:00am to 12:00pm PDT, on Russia's ambitious military modernization project, and its regional and geopolitical impact.

The discussion features Dr. Austin Long, Assistant Professor of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University, and Mr. Steven Pifer, Director of the Arms Control and Non-Proliferation Initiative at the Brookings Insitution. Dr. Christopher S. Chivvis, Associate Director of the International Security and Defense Policy Center at RAND Corporation, serves as moderator.

Russian President Vladimir Putin sees the modernization of his country's armed forces as a vital national interest. In June, he vowed to press on with a 22 trillion ruble (more than $400 billion) military modernization plan - this despite the beleaguered state of Russia's economy. Is this buildup reflective of Putin's readiness to raise the ante in a showdown with the West over Ukraine? Can the Kremlin afford the modernization drive amid slumping oil prices and Western sanctions?