October 18, 1962diplomaticforeign policydiplomacycold warcold wardiplomacynuclear crisis
Gromyko tells Kennedy Soviet aid to Cuba is defensive as missile sites continue to grow
Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko meets President Kennedy at the White House and says Soviet assistance to Cuba is defensive. Kennedy does not reveal that U.S. intelligence has already photographed the missile sites. The exchange hardens White House distrust because Soviet public assurances do not match the evidence in hand.