10. The Soviet-Afghan Friendship Treaty (1978)
In 1978, the USSR and Afghanistan signed a Friendship Treaty, pledging mutual support and cooperation. This surprising pact reflected Moscow’s desire to expand its influence in South Asia and Afghanistan’s eagerness for modernization. The alliance soon unraveled, plunging both nations into a protracted and devastating conflict. Still, the treaty stands as a reminder of the unpredictability and complexity of regional alliances in the shifting landscape of Cold War politics.
