While certainly beginning to wane by 1986, the Cold War was still much a reality. Both the United States and their arch enemy, the Soviet Union, lived with the reality that the other had weapons so destructive that neither side’s leader likely slept very soundly at night. Still, something really telling happened that year. The Soviet-American relationship was about to take a turn.
The Chernobyl Power Station suffered what was, at that time, the worst nuclear mishap to ever happen. After Mayak in Russia (which had been the worst disaster of its kind prior) had decimated the U.S.S.R. only about thirty years prior, Ronald Reagan said, “The United States is prepared to make available to the Soviet Union humanitarian and technical assistance dealing with this accident.”
He added that America was looking to gain,” information on the accident and request the closest possible coordinated effort among all concerned countries.” Lastly, Reagan also added that “To minimize the danger, we hope the Soviet Union will fulfill its international obligations to provide information on the accident in a timely manner.”