<P> The transcript of a telephone call between Nikita Khrushchev and Ulbricht on 1 August in the same year , suggests that the initiative for the construction of the Wall came from Khrushchev . However , other sources suggest that Khrushchev had initially been wary about building a wall , fearing negative Western reaction . What is beyond dispute , though , is that Ulbricht had pushed for a border closure for quite some time , arguing that East Germany 's very existence was at stake . </P>
who was the leader of the soviet union when the berlin wall was built
Nikita Khrushchev