The third summit was held in New York City in December . Arriving there , Gorbachev gave a speech to the United Nations Assembly where he announced a unilateral reduction in the Soviet armed forces by 500,000 ; he also announced that 50,000 troops would be withdrawn from Central and Eastern Europe . He then met with Reagan and President-elect George H. W. Bush ; he rushed home , skipping a planned visit to Cuba , to deal with the Armenian earthquake . On becoming U.S. President , Bush appeared interested in continuing talks with Gorbachev but wanted to appear tougher on the Soviets than Reagan had to allay criticism from the right-wing of his Republican Party . In December 1989 , Gorbachev and Bush met at the Malta Summit . Bush offered to assist the Soviet economy by suspending the Jackson-Vanik Amendment and repealing the Stevenson and Baird Amendments . There , the duo agreed to a joint press conference , the first time that a U.S. and Soviet leader had done so . Gorbachev also urged Bush to normalise relations with Cuba and meet its President , Fidel Castro , although Bush refused to do so
Malta Summit
Malta Summit
Mikhail Gorbachev