Office of the Historian

Presidential Correspondence, lot 66 D 204, “Churchill–Eisenhower Correspondence”

No. 591
Prime Minister Churchill to President Eisenhower

Personal and Confidential
[London,] May 4, 1953.

I thought of sending something like the following to Molotov:

Begins:

I had hoped you and Eden might soon be having a talk about things as you know each other so well, but his unfortunate illness will prevent this for some time. I wonder whether you would like me to come to Moscow so that we could renew our own war-time relation and so that I could meet Monsieur Malenkov and others of your leading men. Naturally I do not imagine that we could settle any of the grave issues which overhang the immediate future of the world, but I have a feeling that it might be helpful if our intercourse proceeded with the help of friendly acquaintance and goodwill instead of impersonal diplomacy and propaganda. I do not see how this could make things worse. I should of course make it clear I was not expecting any major decisions at this informal meeting but only to restore an easy and friendly basis between us such as I have with so many other countries. Do not on any account suppose that I should be offended if you thought the time and circumstances were unsuitable or that my thought and purpose would be changed. We have both of us lived through a good lot. Let me know how you and your friends feel about my suggestion.

Ends.

The sort of date I have in mind would be three or four days in last week of May. All good wishes.

Winston