Yet, Kennedy's advisers told him not to meet with Khrushchev so soon after the presidential election.

Kennedy felt 'that if he could just sit down with Khrushchev' the two leaders could work out their interstate conflicts. On February 22, 1961, Kennedy sent Khrushchev a letter stating, 'I hope it will be possible, before too long, for us to meet personally for an informal exchange of views.' This was the first time either man suggested a diplomatic meeting. and other questions which could bring about an easing and improvement of the entire international situation.' In a reply message, Kennedy thanked Khrushchev and similar niceties continued until 1961. Prior to meeting face to face, their contact began when Khrushchev sent Kennedy a message on November 9, 1960, congratulating him on his presidential election victory and stating his hope that 'relations between would again follow the line along which they were developing in Franklin Roosevelt's time.' He also told Kennedy that the USSR desired to negotiate with the U.S. Kennedy and Khrushchev first met at the Vienna Summit in June 1961. The leaders of the two superpowers of the Cold War era discussed numerous issues in the relationship between their countries.Ĭontext Khrushchev and Kennedy prior to the summit

Kennedy of the United States and First Secretary Nikita Khrushchev of the Soviet Union. The Vienna summit was a summit meeting held on June 4, 1961, in Vienna, Austria, between President John F. Information Agency motion picture on the Vienna summit

Vienna convention of 1961