Reagan combined pressure with negotiation, and with Gorbachev reached the INF Treaty in 1987, the first to eliminate a class of nuclear weapons.
Reagan was not only a hawk. He believed nuclear weapons should be reduced and even abolished, and he was willing to negotiate from strength.
After Gorbachev came to power in 1985, the two leaders met at Geneva in November 1985. At Reykjavik in October 1986 they came close to agreeing to abolish all nuclear weapons, but talks broke down because Reagan refused to limit SDI.
In December 1987 they signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. It eliminated an entire class of missiles and allowed on-site inspections, which built trust. The START I treaty to cut long-range weapons was signed in July 1991.
Historians debate who deserves the credit. Some stress Reagan's strength, which made the USSR negotiate. Others stress that Gorbachev made most of the concessions, accepting US proposals such as the "zero option" on intermediate missiles.
- Geneva summit
- November 1985.
- Reykjavik
- October 1986: near agreement; SDI the obstacle.
- INF Treaty
- December 1987: eliminates intermediate-range missiles.
- START I
- July 1991.
Worked example: Who drove arms control?
A source shows a Soviet official saying the USSR had compromised on key issues.
- Support for Soviet initiative: Gorbachev accepted the zero option and inspections.
- Support for Reagan: he set the terms and kept SDI as leverage.
- Cross-reference: Reykjavik failed over SDI, yet the INF Treaty followed.
- Judgement: agreement needed both a willing Reagan and a reforming Gorbachev.
Watch out for this
The INF Treaty ended the nuclear arms race.
It eliminated intermediate-range missiles only. Strategic weapons remained, and START I came later, in 1991.
Check your understanding
Why did the Reykjavik summit fail to reach a full agreement?
- Reagan refused to limit SDI.
- Gorbachev refused to discuss nuclear weapons.
- The summit was cancelled.