 Following Stalin 's death , a realignment of the leadership strengthened Molotov 's position . Georgy Malenkov , Stalin 's successor in the post of Premier , reappointed Molotov as Minister of Foreign Affairs on 5 March 1953 . Although Molotov was seen as a likely successor to Stalin in the immediate aftermath of his death , he never sought to become leader of the Soviet Union . A Troika was established immediately after Stalin 's death , consisting of Malenkov , Beria , and Molotov , but ended when Malenkov and Molotov deceived Beria . Molotov supported the removal and later the execution of Beria on the orders of Khrushchev . The new Party Secretary , Khrushchev , soon emerged as the new leader of the Soviet Union . He presided over a gradual domestic liberalisation and a thaw in foreign policy , shown by the reconciliation with Josip Broz Tito 's government in Yugoslavia , which Stalin had expelled from the communist movement . Molotov , an old @-@ guard Stalinist , seemed increasingly out of place in this new environment , but he represented the Soviet Union at the Geneva Conference of 1955 . 
