After the Soviets invaded Czechoslovakia in August and he participated in the Czechoslovak-Soviet negotiations between the kidnapped Dubček and Leonid Brezhnev in Moscow, he suddenly reversed course and became a leader among those party members calling for the reversal of Dubček's reforms.
Setelah Soviet menginvasi Cekoslowakia pada bulan Agustus dan dia berpartisipasi dalam negosiasi Cekoslowakia-Soviet antara Dubcek diculik dan Leonid Brezhnev di Moskow, ia tiba-tiba menjadi seorang pemimpin dari orang-anggota partai menyerukan pembalikan reformasi Dubcek ini.