Perestroika

In a 1984 interview, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher shared her views on Mikhail Gorbachev, then a rising figure in Soviet politics. Thatcher, known for her staunch anti-communist stance, described Gorbachev as a leader with whom the West could potentially engage in meaningful dialogue. She famously remarked that he was someone she 'could do business with,' reflecting her cautious optimism about his pragmatic approach and reformist tendencies. This assessment came before Gorbachev became General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1985 and initiated his landmark policies of glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring), which would profoundly impact East-West relations and the eventual end of the Cold War.

On March 30, 1987, in Moscow, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev held a candid discussion on world affairs and the outlook of their respective nations. During the conversation, Thatcher articulated her grievances with the USSR, particularly concerning its human rights record and global military activities, making clear her critiques of Soviet policies.

For his part, Gorbachev listened attentively and began to understand that the West’s perception of the USSR was more negative than he had anticipated. This realization underscored the deep mistrust that characterized East-West relations and highlighted the challenges Gorbachev faced in improving the Soviet Union’s international standing. The dialogue reflected both leaders’ determination to engage in frank discussions, paving the way for greater transparency and cooperation during a pivotal period in Cold War history.

On July 6, 1989, in a historic speech to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev addressed the departure of the USSR from the Brezhnev Doctrine, which had previously justified Soviet intervention in Eastern Bloc countries to preserve communist rule. Gorbachev elaborated that the Soviet Union would no longer interfere in the internal affairs of Eastern European countries, marking a dramatic shift in Soviet foreign policy. He explicitly acknowledged that the USSR would not intervene as it had in the past, citing events like the Soviet invasion of Hungary in 1956. This statement was a key moment in the process of glasnost and perestroika, signaling Gorbachev’s commitment to reducing Soviet control over Eastern Europe and allowing for greater political autonomy within the Warsaw Pact nations. The speech was a turning point in the Cold War, signaling a new era of Soviet non-intervention and contributing to the eventual collapse of communist regimes in Eastern Europe.