Vyacheslav Molotov was a prominent Soviet politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and as a close associate of Joseph Stalin. He played a key role in Soviet politics during the 1930s and 1940s, and was known for his involvement in the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact with Nazi Germany in 1939. Molotov also had a significant impact on Soviet foreign policy and was involved in negotiations with Western powers during World War II and the early years of the Cold War. His name is also associated with the "Molotov cocktail," a makeshift incendiary weapon used during conflicts.