The Soviets wanted a deal with us not because they trusted us, I came out of that meeting with the assurances I needed, and a lesson that has served me throughout my career-the assumption of good intentions rarely extends to international diplomacy. So you have to understand why we think you might use them again.” I am not second-guessing that, but you used them. “You are the only nation in the history of mankind that has ever used nuclear weapons. Kosygin did most of the talking that day, and one of the first things he said to me was this reminder: I was 36-years old, in my seventh year as a United States Senator.Īcross the table sat Alexei Kosygin-the grizzled Soviet Premier-a veteran of World War II and a hard-liner.īut neither of our nations wanted to be responsible for unleashing a nuclear apocalypse. We were there to discuss the strategic arms control agreement known as SALT II-and to gauge whether or not the Soviets were likely to abide by modifications that the Senate had adopted. I walked into the Kremlin with five of my Senate colleagues. In the summer heat of 1979, amid the deep freeze of the Cold War. Remarks by the Vice President on Nuclear Security
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