▁doll ar ▁was ▁p eg ged ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁doll ar ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁assuming ▁the ▁U . S . ▁doll ar ▁was ▁stronger ▁than ▁the ▁British ▁p ound ▁ster ling . ▁ ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁when ▁Chair man ▁Leon id ▁Bre zh ne v ▁arrived ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁to ▁have ▁a ▁one - week ▁meeting ▁with ▁N ixon , ▁Bre zh ne v ▁told ▁the ▁press , ▁" I ▁do ▁not ▁intend ▁to ▁refer ▁to ▁that ▁matter — [ the ▁Water gate ]. ▁It ▁would ▁be ▁completely ▁inde cent ▁for ▁me ▁to ▁refer ▁to ▁it   ... ▁My ▁attitude ▁toward ▁Mr . ▁N ixon ▁is ▁of ▁very ▁great ▁respect ." ▁When ▁one ▁rep orter ▁suggested ▁that ▁N ixon ▁and ▁his ▁position ▁with ▁Bre zh ne v ▁were ▁" weak ened " ▁by ▁the ▁sc andal , ▁Bre zh ne v ▁replied , ▁" It ▁does ▁not ▁enter ▁my ▁mind ▁to ▁think ▁whether ▁Mr . ▁N ixon ▁has ▁lost ▁or ▁gained ▁any ▁influence ▁because ▁of ▁the ▁affair ." ▁Then ▁he ▁said ▁further ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁respect ed ▁N ixon ▁because ▁of ▁N ixon ' s ▁" real istic ▁and ▁construct ive ▁approach ▁to ▁Soviet ▁Union – Un ited ▁States ▁relations   ... ▁passing ▁from ▁an ▁era ▁of ▁confront ation ▁to ▁an ▁era ▁of ▁negoti ations ▁between ▁nations ". ▁ ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁Tal ks ▁between ▁N ixon ▁and ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Edward ▁He ath ▁may ▁have ▁been ▁bug ged . ▁He ath ▁did ▁not ▁public