The perceived US military and political threat clearly overwhelms strategic planners in Moscow and a convincing military deterrent is seen as the only credible answer. In Barack Obama’s White House, the START III treaty may be seen as an instrument to establish enduring trust and cooperation on sensitive issues with Russia. In Moscow START III is viewed as essentially a technical agreement to preserve a credible nuclear deterrent against the US by forcing the Pentagon to downsize its nuclear arsenal to help Russia maintain a balance and contain a dangerous opponent. During ratification procedures in the Duma, Defense Minister, Anatoliy Serdyukov, announced: “It is a very useful treaty –it allows us to significantly increase our [nuclear] armaments, while the Americans will have to cut theirs” (Interfax, December 24, 2010).
We will reduce our weapons to reach the ceiling and Russia can build up to reach a ceiling. If they can afford it, that is. But that is what Russia plans to do. So there is no "reset" that makes Russia our friend even if in the end the Russians can't afford the nukes they want. The treaty is just a tactical reset that lets Russia gain ground on us--the main enemy that consumes their paranoid world and defense planning.
