Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1942, Europe, Volume III

861.24/924

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Secretary of State

[Washington,] May 26, 1942.

The Soviet Ambassador called at my request. I proceeded to speak to him concerning a draft of a lend-lease agreement⁹⁵ which I later handed him, substantially along the following lines:

1. The proposed agreement is practically identical with the Lend-Lease Agreement entered into several months ago with Great Britain.⁹⁶ The American Government hopes that it will be able to enter into agreements almost identical in nature with a number of the United Nations.

2. The Government of the United States hopes that it might be possible to conclude an agreement of the type proposed with the Soviet Government in the near future so that Article VII of the Agreement which provides for conversations between the two Governments on subjects of economic nature would become immediately effective.

3. It would be helpful if the Soviet decision with regard to the proposal of the Government of the United States could be reached while the Commissar for Foreign Affairs is in Washington.⁹⁷

4. The proposed agreement would of course supersede any Lease-Lend Agreements which have hitherto been entered into between the United States and the Soviet Union by exchanges of notes.

The Ambassador seemed interested, but said that it would be necessary to send it to the Foreign Office as a first step and, therefore, it could not be agreed upon while the Soviet Foreign Minister is here this week.

C[ordell] H[ull]

95. Not printed; a copy of the draft is filed under 861.24/923.
96. Signed on February 23, 1942; for text, see Department of State Executive Agreement Series No. 241, or 56 Stat. (pt. 2) 1433.
97. Molotov visited Washington between May 29 and June 4, 1942. For correspondence concerning negotiations carried on during this visit, see pp. 566–596, passim.