Ronald Reagan explained his strategy was an arms buildup that would leave the Soviets far behind, with no choice but to negotiate arms reduction. Finally, displaying his characteristic optimism, he praised liberal democracy and promised that such a system eventually would triumph over Soviet communism. Reagan appreciated the revolutionary change in the direction of the Soviet policy with Mikhail Gorbachev, and shifted to diplomacy, with a view to encourage the Soviet leader to pursue substantial arms agreements. He and Gorbachev held four summit conferences between 1985 and 1988: the first in Geneva, Switzerland, the second in Reykjavík, Iceland, the third in Washington,
Walk of the People – A Pilgrimage for Life were denied entrance into East Germany in June 1985 and settled in an old mill house in a border town to figure out a plan. A few weeks later, they walked to Vienna, Austria, then took a train to Budapest and some other cities in Hungary as part of a tour organized by the government Hungarian Peace Committee. They were turned down again for visas to fly to Moscow. Eventually, several members took a train to Moscow from Geneva, Switzerland, following the November 1985 Geneva Summit between Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev. They met with members of the Soviet Peace Committee