President Ronald Reagan had passionate views on democracy, He believed the U.S. and its allies as the defenders of freedom, democracy, and free markets, while portraying the Soviet Union as an “evil empire” that oppressed its people and threatened global peace.
Backed with his belief that “peace comes only through strength”, he negotiated with Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, which caused both countries to significantly reduce nuclear arms.
This is a photograph of Reagan and Gorbachev taken inside the White House Library on December 8, 1987, just prior to signing the treaty.