Trust, but verify. Russian Proverb, American [19148]

What Ronald Reagan learned from Vladimir Lenin:

One of Vladimir Lenin's favorite Russian proverbs was "doveryai, no proveryai" or "trust, but verify." Author and Russian expert, Suzanne Massie, told Ronald Reagan that "Russians like to talk in proverbs. It would be nice of you to know a few," before Reagan was about to sign the INF Treaty with Mikhail Gorbachev.

Reagan learned this proverb and liked it so much he repeated it on numerous occasions. So much, in fact, that Gorbachev jokingly remarked that the president said it at every meeting, to which the laughing Reagan replied, "I like it."

Today, many people in America mistakenly attribute this proverb as an original quote from the President.