The Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty (ABM Treaty) was an agreement signed in 1972 between the United States and the Soviet Union. Its main goal was to limit the development and deployment of missile defense systems that could intercept and destroy incoming ballistic missiles. By restricting these systems, the treaty aimed to maintain the balance of power and reduce the risk of nuclear conflict during the Cold War. The ABM Treaty allowed each country to have only a limited number of missile defense sites, which helped to promote strategic stability. However, the treaty faced challenges over the years, and the United States officially withdrew from it in 2002, citing the need to develop new defense technologies against emerging threats.