Geneva Summit (1985)

The Geneva Summit of 1985 was a Cold War-era meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, between U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev. Held on November 19-21, 1985, it marked the first time the two leaders had met face-to-face, and it signaled a potential thaw in relations between the two superpowers after a period of increased tension.

The primary goal of the summit was to establish a working relationship between Reagan and Gorbachev and to explore possible avenues for arms control negotiations. While no major breakthroughs were achieved in terms of concrete arms reduction agreements, the summit was considered a success in its establishment of a more positive and constructive dialogue between the two leaders.

Key topics discussed included:

• Arms Control: Both sides reiterated their commitment to reducing nuclear weapons, particularly intermediate-range nuclear forces (INF) in Europe.
• Human Rights: Reagan pressed Gorbachev on human rights issues within the Soviet Union, including the treatment of dissidents and restrictions on emigration.
• Regional Conflicts: Discussions touched upon regional conflicts in Afghanistan, Angola, and Nicaragua, where the U.S. and Soviet Union were supporting opposing sides.

The summit concluded with a joint statement affirming the need to prevent an arms race in space and to work towards significant reductions in nuclear weapons. More importantly, it laid the groundwork for subsequent summits and arms control negotiations that ultimately contributed to the end of the Cold War. The personal connection established between Reagan and Gorbachev was considered crucial in facilitating future progress.