Did the United States and Russia Just Agree to Collaborate on Data Centers? | CSIS

A recent commentary by Nikita Shah and Justin Sherman for the Center for Strategic & International Studies considers the new and potentially hazardous proposal for cooperation between the U.S. and Russia on the development of data centers.

Feasability

Shah and Sherman first consider the viability of such a proposal:

This makes it especially unclear as to how such a deal would work in practice, such as whether the Treasury and Commerce regulations would require different exemptions or thresholds in order for the United States to collaborate with Russia.

Security Implications

The authors then address the effects of possible cooperation on the European security landscape and the Russian invasion of Ukraine:

Russia views itself as being at war with the West, and the Kremlin sees the United States as its main enemy. It has skilled and well-resourced security and intelligence organs, a large cyber web it can use to steal data from and disrupt Western systems, and a military and security apparatus pursuing a full-scale, illegal war on Ukraine and sabotage and destruction across Europe.

Implications for International Allies

Next, the CSIS report tackles how this new cooperation might negatively affect the U.S.’ international alliances:

The data center would also be considered a high-risk national security threat by close allies—particularly the Five Eyes, EU member states, and NATO. Even if the joint data center were solely for commercial or energy purposes, the national security risks would be beyond any acceptable risk tolerance.

Conclusion

Shah and Sherman conclude that Congress must intervene to thwart this dangerous and irrational proposal:

Russia is an adversary of the United States and NATO. It is engaged in a persistent campaign of subversion and sabotage (and even assassination attempts) against the West, and it is actively involved in a conflict that runs counter to U.S. and NATO interests. A proposal to intermingle with Russia—at the core of the U.S. economy—risks endangering U.S. national security by whitewashing the proposal as part of a broader economic deal.