Where is Russia heading?

Dmitri Trenin, senior associate of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Moscow, answered FT.com readers' questions live online

Do you think Vladimir Putin really intends to remain a meaningful political actor in Russia after his term ends in March 2008? Or is he just trying to manoeuvre a position that is high profile enough to protect him from political attacks once he has left office? Ruth Hetherington, Paris

Dmitri Trenin: Putin evidently cares for the system that he has built - even more, it seems, than for his place within that system. He understands that, as he steps down, and the new president is not yet able to manage the system, some sort of intra-elite arbitration will not be just necessary, but could well be crucial. Hence, his obvious intention to continue to function, for a period of time, at least, as the systemic arbiter and guarantor of stability. To be able to do that, Putin may have to become a public politician - a supreme irony, of course!

Putin said Russia would upgrade its nuclear weapons. To what extent is the US policy of attempting to build new nuclear weapons responsible? Erich Kuerschner

Dmitri Trenin: Russians have a long history of following the US's lead, for better or worse. Some US actions in the strategic area are used as a justification for similar Russian programs. Moscow's rationale for withdrawing from the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe and its doubts about the wisdom of holding on to the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty repeat verbatim the Bush administration's official reasons for quitting the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in 2002.

A resurgent Russian economy has precipitated a vast increase in state spending. Has there been a corresponding increase in military spending? And, generally, how does the leadership of the armed forces view Putin and Russia's future?Louis Godena, the US

Dmitri Trenin: The appointment of Anatoly Serrdyukov, a former head of the tax police, as Russia's defence minister, shows the Kremlin is concerned about the spending of the allocated funds.

So far, however, the rate of rearmament has been moderate to slow.

As for the military leadership's response to Putin's policies, they see him as the first leader in nearly 20 years who is serious about Russia's national interests, national security and national defence.

In the strategic sphere, they want to be equals (which does not have to be equal numbers) with the US, and they want to be able to assure Russia's security vis-à-vis China, a friend today but a mighty and growing power, nonetheless.