Signatories

Mikhail Gorbachev was the last head of state of the Soviet Union, and together with U.S. President Ronald Reagan he signed a series of important agreements to reduce the nuclear danger. At Reykjavik, Iceland in 1986, the two nearly agreed to a treaty framework that would eliminate their nuclear arsenals completely.

Gorbachev initiated the process of change – what was later called perestroika, the transformation of the nation and society. The new thinking associated with Gorbachev’s reforms contributed to a fundamental change in the international environment and played a prominent role in the end of the Cold War.

In recognition of his outstanding services as a reformer and world political leader, Gorbachev was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990. Since March 1993, he has also been President of Green Cross International, an environmental organization with branches in more than twenty countries.