Nikita Khrushchev in Yugoslavia – A Historical “Sorry”

On May 26, 1955, something previously unimaginable in diplomatic circles and beyond happened – the new President of the Soviet Union, Nikita Khrushchev, visited Yugoslavia and met with President Tito. It was the first time that a Soviet state delegation came to Yugoslavia since Tito’s famous and historic “no” to Stalin.

Witnesses spoke of the Yugoslav marshal’s superiority evident in every detail. Khrushchev, visibly nervous, wore a poorly tailored suit with World War II medals and a crumpled hat.

On the other hand, Tito, as always, was entirely self-assured and donned a perfect white jacket. He appeared as “an American millionaire who condescended to receive an old warrior,” as some media described him years later.

The two communist leaders were almost peers – Tito was 63, and Khrushchev was 61 years old. However, the Soviet leader seemed much older.

And then came the main shock – Khrushchev said, “I apologize!”

Tito accepted the extended hand, and discussions in Belgrade and on the Brioni Islands concluded with the signing of the Belgrade Declaration on June 2, 1955, which marked the formal normalization of interstate relations. Khrushchev did not sign it because he did not hold such a position in the government. Therefore, the declaration was signed on the Soviet side by Premier Bulganin. Tito signed the declaration himself from the Yugoslav side (at that time, the President of the Republic also held the position of Prime Minister or President of the Federal Executive Council, which would be separated by the 1963 Constitution).

The political strife that had shaken communist Europe for seven years was over, and Khrushchev returned to Yugoslavia in August 1963.