<P> The enormity of how close the world came to thermonuclear war impelled Krushchev to propose a far - reaching easing of tensions with the US . In a letter to President Kennedy dated 30 October 1962 , Krushchev outlined a range of bold initiatives to forestall the possibility of a further nuclear crisis , including proposing a non-aggression treaty between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization ( NATO ) and the Warsaw Pact or even the disbanding these military blocs , a treaty to cease all nuclear weapons testing and even the elimination of all nuclear weapons , resolution of the hot - button issue of Germany by both East and West formally accepting the existence of West Germany and East Germany , and US recognition of the government of mainland China . The letter invited counter-proposals and further exploration of these and other issues through peaceful negotiations . Krushschev invited Norman Cousins , the editor of a major US periodical and an anti-nuclear weapons activist , to serve as liaison with President Kennedy , and Cousins met with Krushchev for four hours in December 1962 . </P>
<P> The enormity of how close the world came to thermonuclear war impelled Krushchev to propose a far - reaching easing of tensions with the US . In a letter to President Kennedy dated 30 October 1962 , Krushchev outlined a range of bold initiatives to forestall the possibility of a further nuclear crisis , including proposing a non-aggression treaty between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization ( NATO ) and the Warsaw Pact or even the disbanding these military blocs , a treaty to cease all nuclear weapons testing and even the elimination of all nuclear weapons , resolution of the hot - button issue of Germany by both East and West formally accepting the existence of West Germany and East Germany , and US recognition of the government of mainland China . The letter invited counter-proposals and further exploration of these and other issues through peaceful negotiations . Krushschev invited Norman Cousins , the editor of a major US periodical and an anti-nuclear weapons activist , to serve as liaison with President Kennedy , and Cousins met with Krushchev for four hours in December 1962 . </P>
who led the ussr during the cuban missile crisis
who led the ussr during the cuban missile crisis
Krushchev
Krushchev