International leaders mourned former Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev, who died Tuesday at the age of 91, praising his role in ending the Cold War.
US President Joe Biden said Gorbachev was a rare leader who led us to a safer world.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson expressed his regret over Gorbachev’s death, noting the “courage and integrity” of the last leader of the former Soviet Union.
“I am saddened by the death of Gorbachev. I have always admired the courage and integrity he demonstrated to end the Cold War,” Johnson wrote on Twitter.
Attacking Russian President Vladimir Putin, Johnson added, “While (Putin) continues his aggression once morest Ukraine, his (Gorbachev’s) tireless commitment to the openness of Soviet society remains an example to all of us.”
The Kremlin announced Wednesday morning that Putin expressed his “deep condolences” following Gorbachev’s death.
“Putin expresses his deepest condolences on the death of Mikhail Gorbachev, and in the morning will send a telegram of condolences to the family and loved ones,” the TASS news agency quoted Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his “deep sadness” at the death of Gorbachev, noting that he was a “unique statesman who changed the course of history”.
Guterres said in a statement that Gorbachev “did more than anyone else to peacefully end the Cold War,” adding that with his departure “the world has lost a great world leader who adhered to multilateralism and tirelessly defended peace.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also expressed her condolences for Gorbachev’s death, saying that he was a “trustworthy leader who paved the way for a free Europe.”
“He played a decisive role in ending the Cold War and bringing down the Iron Curtain. He paved the way for a free Europe. This is a legacy we will never forget. Rest in peace Mikhail Gorbachev,” von der Leyen wrote in a tweet on Twitter.
