The escalating conflicts between major powers significantly impact international security and stability. This escalation holds the risk of arms races, notably between the USA, China, and Russia. This affects the involved states as well as the global order and conditions for peaceful conflict resolution. In this context, we explore the role of these states in international politics and investigate the relationship between domestic political dynamics and security and military policy decisions, such as military doctrines and the nature of armed forces. How can military escalations between the great powers be prevented, and what opportunities for cooperation exist despite increasing competition? How do defensive deterrence strategies and arms control offer possibilities for managing new technologies? What are the prospects for regional and global political developments within the elites and societies of the major powers? Is China’s military buildup driven by defensive or offensive logic? Which new types of weapons are particularly driving the arms dynamic? We approach these questions primarily using social science methods and provide regional expertise on the USA, Russia, and China.
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