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NO SIGNIFICANT SEGment of the Russian military or government supports the eastward expansion of NATO. Indeed, it seems that President Boris Yeltsin had to force even Russia's participation in the Partnership for Peace program onto the military. Although the Russian population remains somewhat ambivalent, few votes are to be won by adopting a more conciliatory tone with the West.1 Instead, Russia will continue to oppose NATO expansion, betting that time will work against a consensus within NATO for expansion and that election results in Eastern Europe over the next year and a half will diminish the desire of these countries to join. More important, no change will occur in Russian foreign policy on this question before the next presidential elections.