State Historical Society of Iowa

"Nixon and Brezhnev," June 18, 1973

Courtesy of the Nixon Presidential Library, "Nixon and Brezhnev," June 18, 1973

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Description

On June 18, 1973, Leonid Brezhnev visited President Richard Nixon in the White House as part of a summit meeting between the United States and Soviet Union. Interpreter Viktor Sukhodrev provided translation between English and Russian. The meeting was captured by recording devices in the Oval Office. President Nixon's remarks begin at the start of the video and end at the first minute. A translation of Brezhnev's remarks begin at the 4:44 mark.

In this conversation segment, President Nixon highlights the necessity of cooperative relations between the United States and the Soviet Union. He emphasized the transformative nature of the working relationship between him and Brezhnev. Brezhnev recounts a meeting he had with the Senate Commerce Committee in April 1973 and comments on the American senators' respectful attitude towards the President. In particular, Brezhnev mentions Senator Vance Hartke's hope for positive US-Soviet relations and his praise of President Nixon.

Source Dependent Questions

  • Where and when did this meeting take place? What impact did the historical context have on this meeting?
  • How did this interaction compare to Ford's Speech to the American people? How was this similar or different to Eisenhower's meeting with Khrushchev? Why did both leaders discuss cooperative relations between the two nations? What had happened in the past when cooperative relations had broken down between countries?
  • How did this interaction compare to Ford's Speech to the American people?
  • Consider the significance of these talks in the context of the SALT treaty renewal and Nixon's statement of putting aside differences were possible. Did this attitude by Nixon increase or decrease the likelihood of compromise? Use evidence to support your answer.

Citation Information

Nixon, Richard, and Leonid Brezhnev. "Richard Nixon and Leonid Brezhnev Discuss Their Working Relationship, June 18, 1973." YouTube, YouTube, 21 Aug. 2013. Courtesy of the Nixon Presidential Library Courtesy of Library of Congress