Over the course of his presidency, Ronald Reagan's approach toward the Soviet Union became more dismissive. In his early years in office, Reagan took a hard line against the Soviet Union and pursued a policy of "peace through strength" that involved increasing military spending and supporting anti-communist rebels around the world. However, as his presidency progressed, Reagan became more willing to engage with the Soviet leadership and negotiate arms control agreements. By the end of his presidency, Reagan had adopted a more dismissive attitude toward the Soviet Union, and he famously declared that "the Soviet Union is the focus of evil in the modern world" in a speech to the National Association of Evangelicals in 1983.