Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan, the 40th US President, pursued an assertive anti-Soviet policy through his first term — labelling the USSR an 'evil empire,' launching the Strategic Defense Initiative, and massively expanding the defence budget — then pivoted to productive negotiations with Gorbachev in his second term, signing the INF Treaty in 1987 that eliminated an entire class of nuclear weapons. His conviction that the Soviet system was both evil and doomed proved prescient; his role in accelerating the Cold War's end is debated, but his personal relationship with Gorbachev was a significant factor in the diplomatic breakthroughs of 1986-88.
- Lived: 1911 CE – 2004 CE
- Nationality: American
- Roles: president, governor, actor
