He agreed to the [[START II]] Treaty, which reduced the number of [[U.S.]] and Russian [[nuclear weapons]] by approximately 20,000 warheads. Congruent with this treaty and the spirit of European unification promoted by Gorbachev, the great powers persuaded [[Ukraine]], [[Belarus]] and [[Kazakhstan]] to hand over their nuclear arsenals to Russia, which also succeeded to the Soviet Union's permanent seat on the [[United Nations Security Council]]. | He agreed to the [[START II]] Treaty, which reduced the number of [[U.S.]] and Russian [[nuclear weapons]] by approximately 20,000 warheads. Congruent with this treaty and the spirit of European unification promoted by Gorbachev, the great powers persuaded [[Ukraine]], [[Belarus]] and [[Kazakhstan]] to hand over their nuclear arsenals to Russia, which also succeeded to the Soviet Union's permanent seat on the [[United Nations Security Council]]. |