Andrei Gromyko

Gromyko became Soviet ambassador to the US during World War II, participating in the Tehran, Yalta, and Potsdam conferences. This role established him as a key Soviet diplomat in shaping post-war relations with the Western Allies.

Gromyko succeeded Dmitri Shepilov as Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Soviet Union. He held this position for 28 years, becoming the longest-serving foreign minister in Soviet history and a central figure in Cold War diplomacy.

Gromyko met with US President John F. Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis, initially denying the presence of Soviet missiles in Cuba. He later participated in the secret negotiations that led to the removal of missiles, averting nuclear war.

Gromyko signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons on behalf of the Soviet Union. The treaty aimed to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and promote disarmament, becoming a cornerstone of international arms control.

Gromyko played a key role in the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe, which produced the Helsinki Final Act. The accords recognized post-World War II borders in Europe and included commitments to human rights, influencing Soviet bloc dissidents.

Gromyko became the nominal head of state of the Soviet Union as Chairman of the Presidium. He held this largely ceremonial position until 1988, during the early years of Mikhail Gorbachev's reforms, before retiring.