Congressman Curt Weldon has been interested in Russian culture and history since his high school and university days. An avid scholar of Russian and Soviet history, he understood early on the importance of deep and constructive engagements between our countries. In 1986, while a Delaware County Council Member, Curt Weldon participated in the first ever political leader exchange between young Soviet and American leaders. He hosted several members of the Komsomol, young Communist Party members, for a week long workshop aimed at building mutual trust and respect in the midst of the Cold War. Twenty years later, Congressman Weldon hosted one of these Russian participants in Congress, Ms. Valentina Matvienko, who is now the Governor of St. Petersburg region. Congressman Weldon believes that building personal connections with key political, business and military leaders of Russia is an important tool to facilitate constructive dialogue and beneficial relations between our two nations.

Congressman Weldon led the effort in US Congress to engage the Russian Federation after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. From 1985 onwards, he traveled extensively to Russia and the independent states of the former Soviet Union. In 1992, he formed the U.S.-F.S.U. Energy Caucus with the Democratic colleague Greg Laughlin (TX). The purpose of the Caucus was to educate members of Congress about the importance of increasing U.S.-F.S.U. energy trade and investment and encourage the Administration to grant higher priority attention to U.S.-F.S.U. energy trade; as well as to facilitate better communications between American energy leaders and key energy companies and officials from Russia and the independent states of the former Soviet Union. This effort is all the more prevalent today, as the United States seeks to end its energy dependence on the volatile region of the Middle East.

In 1996, Congressman Weldon launched the Duma-Congress Study Group, after he was convinced of the need to establish an on-going dialogue between members of Congress and members of the Russian Duma (Parliament). In January of 1996 Congressman Weldon led a Congressional Delegation to Moscow to officially inaugurate this organization. Since its establishment, the Duma-Congress Study Group led discussions in Congress on a comprehensive range of issues regarding U.S.-Russian relations. Between 1996 and 2004, the Study Group has facilitated several conferences and exchanges between the two parliamentary bodies and served as a catalyst for initiatives ranging from energy development and environmental cooperation to defense and arms control.

In 2000, Congressman Weldon unveiled A New Time, A New Beginning, a 45 page document containing 108 specific recommendations in 11 key areas, including non-proliferation, as their format for relations between the U.S. and Russia. The Russian Academy of Science sent the document to every member of the Duma and Federation Council. In a letter to President Bush prior to his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2001, Senator Richard Lugar and 142 members of Congress from both parties endorsed this document.

Russia, with its vast oil and gas resources, offers a unique opportunity to provide energy stability to an often volatile and insecure world energy market, but only with a renewed commitment to investment by international energy companies. In 2004, Congressman Weldon unveiled a plan, called “US-Russia Partnership: Renewed Commitments, Strengthened Relationships.”He proposed that the United States and Russia establish a more effective energy partnership. Large-scale direct energy investment by American companies in the Russian energy sector is vital in order for Russia to substantially increase its energy output for the benefit of both the United States and Russia. American energy company investment in the Russian energy sector will improve Russia’s economic development, while at the same time supply the United States with additional oil and gas, thereby enhancing our energy security by decreasing dependence on the volatile Middle East.

Congressman participates at various functions that promote US-Russia relations. Such events act as a forum for discussion among policy makers, academicians, business, civilian and military leaders who come together to make constructive observations and proposals that will be mutually beneficial for both nations. He also regularly offers his opinion to the American and Russian media. Congressman Weldon was interviewed by the Russian-daily Novoye Russkoye Slovo on November 16, 2005, on the US-Russia relations. Discussion of U.S.-Russian relations this year forum is of particular interest in the wake of the upcoming G8 summit to be held in St. Petersburg, Russia this summer.

On May 16, 2005, Congressman Weldon spoke on the 25th Annual World Russian Forum, where he highlighted the importance of closer US-Russian relations. Discussion of US-Russian relations this year is of particular interest in the wake of the upcoming G8 summit to be held in St. Petersburg, Russia in July of this year.

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