Ending the Cold War
While Gorbachev was in office, the USSR was in a time of economic poverty. This was exacerbated by the arms race between the Soviet Union and the United States of America. The arms race was an expensive competition to see which country could create more nuclear weapons and which country posed the biggest threat. The issue was that while both countries had money, the U.S. had more. As the arms race went on, the Soviet Union fell deeper into poverty. To stop this major spending, Gorbachev needed to end the arms race and the Cold War entirely.
Gorbachev, knowing Ronald Reagan wouldn't be one to back down, reached out to Reagan in an effort to make treaties. He traveled to Washington D.C. and met with the American president. In the process, they created a strong relationship. Gorbachev respected Reagan for his powerful leadership, and Reagan liked Gorbachev's persistence in reforming a decaying country. This bond brought about many new treaties to decrease the production of nuclear weapons, and through these treaties, Gorbachev and Reagan ended the arms race that was the Cold War.
Gorbachev, knowing Ronald Reagan wouldn't be one to back down, reached out to Reagan in an effort to make treaties. He traveled to Washington D.C. and met with the American president. In the process, they created a strong relationship. Gorbachev respected Reagan for his powerful leadership, and Reagan liked Gorbachev's persistence in reforming a decaying country. This bond brought about many new treaties to decrease the production of nuclear weapons, and through these treaties, Gorbachev and Reagan ended the arms race that was the Cold War.