Less powerful countries had more room to assert their independence, and the two superpowers were partially able to recognize their common interest in trying to check the further spread and proliferation of nuclear weapons in treaties such as SALT I, SALT II, and the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.
Os países menos influentes tiveron maior capacidade de manobra para afirmar a súa independencia, e as dúas superpotencias foron só medianamente capaces de recoñecer intereses comúns ao tratar de vixiar a proliferación de armas nucleares en tratados como o SALT I, SALT II e o Tratado sobre Mísiles Anti-Balísticos.