It Takes Two to Tango: How Moscow's Influence on the United Nations was Shaped by Washington

To get a more profound insight into Gorbachev’s motivations for introducing the New Political Thinking, a better insight into the political situation of the U.S.S.R. is crucial. In 1985, the U.S.S.R. had been involved in the dead-end war in Afghanistan; in Eastern Europe, there was a significant politicaleconomic stagnation and the relations with the West were depressing (Sakwa, 1990). Foreign policy lacked all direction after four years of inaction, and the prestige of the U.S.S.R. was quickly eroding.